The Law of Love
by lanaspiration
Summary: This is an Outlaw Queen AU fanfiction. It is set in New York City. Regina is a pediatrician who owns her own private practice. Robin is a co-owner of a law firm. How do the two cross paths? How do they fall in love? Read it and find out!
1. Chapter 1

It was a normal morning in New York City. Streets busy with taxis and various other cars. Subways packed with people making their way to school or work. This day was just like any other for every citizen of the city, including Regina Mills.

She had woken up to her very obnoxious alarm clock at the wee hour of 5:30am. She went through her daily routine- shower, hair and makeup, clothes, then finally breakfast.

Today she had on a simple black pencil skirt, a burgundy blouse, and black patent leather pumps. She wore the heels despite the fact that she knew she'd regret it very much later on. As a doctor, and a pediatrician at that, she was always standing, never really getting a chance to sit down except during her 30 minute lunch break.

For breakfast, she made a small bowl of oatmeal and a very large cup of coffee. If there's one thing Regina Mills loves more than anything, it's her coffee. With the job she has, coffee is a necessity throughout the day. There are many days she'll have 5, or maybe even 6 cups a day without realizing it. Coffee is almost equivalent to oxygen in her world. Without it, she just might die.

When she finished making her coffee, she grabbed her phone and noticed the time was 7:05am. "Shit!" She is supposed to leave at 6:50am. She has to be at work at 7:15am, and she lives 20 minutes away.

She runs to the foyer, grabs her purse and her keys, and barges out the door. She quickly makes her way to the elevator of her condominium and presses the button impatiently. When the doors finally open, she rushes inside and waits eagerly for them to reopen. As soon as the elevator arrived at the main floor and the doors opened again, Regina runs out and makes her way to the parking lot. She ferociously opens the car door of her Audi R8 and plops down onto the seat. She speeds out of the parking lot and onto the road.

Only a few minutes into her fast paced drive, flashing lights appear in her rear view mirror. "Damn it! Not now!" she says angrily. This is not the first time she's been pulled over; it happens several times a month. She slows down and pulls the car over to the side of the road. She rolls down her window and grabs her wallet and slides her license out of the pocket. She then leans over to the glove compartment to get her registration out.

The cop approaches the window. "Good morning, ma'am. Do you know what you have been pulled over for?"

"Most definitely for speeding," Regina says sassily.

"That's correct. Do you have an idea of how fast you were going?" The cop asks.

"I have no clue."

"Well you were going 65 in a 45, which is dangerously fast, especially in this part of town," the cop informs and Regina just nods. "Now can I see your license and registration please?"

"Yes, yes I know the drill." She lifts her hand out of the window and hands the cops the requested items. As she does, she actually notices the cop for the first time. She's blonde haired and blue eyed, and wears the name tag labeled, 'Emma Swan.' This isn't the first time Regina has been pulled over by this specific cop.

Swan takes everything from Regina. "I'll be right back. I'm going to go verify your information and write your citation."

"Wonderful. Thank you, Officer Swan," she says sarcastically. After about 5 minutes the cop arrives back at the car.

"Here you go ma'am," she says as she hands Regina her license and registration. "Now I wrote your citation for $159 dollars. You must bring the payment to the court house within 3 weeks from this date. If you would like, you have a month to take a driving course to clear your record of this occurrence, otherwise this will be marked on your driving record permanently. Do you understand?"

"Yes. Thank you," Regina replies and puts on a fake smile. Inside she's really dying and thinking to herself, 'Alright, lady. Just shut the hell up and let me get out of here. I'm already late for work, and I don't need your blabbering mouth.' But obviously that would only get her in more trouble if she said it out loud.

"Have a good day, and please drive safely," Swan commented and then walked back to her car.

Regina took a big sigh of relief and put her car in drive and _slowly and safely_ made her way to work. 15 minutes later she finally arrives. She parks her car and swiftly makes her way in. She walks to the front desk.

"Here you go Dr. Mills, your messages from this morning," Belle, the receptionist, said.

"Thank you, Belle. I'm so sorry for being late. I had...an interesting morning," Regina replied. "I'll be in my office. Let me know when my first patient arrives please."

"Will do. The first is scheduled to arrive in about 30 minutes," said Belle.

"Wonderful. Thanks." Regina made her way to her office, which was located in the back corner.

It was large. An L-shaped desk sat in the corner of the office. An Apple computer laid on top, with various paperwork neatly organized around it. A rolling office chair sat behind the desk, and two other chairs stood across from her.

As she walked in, she sat her purse down underneath her desk and sat down in her chair. She leaned her head back and tried to calm herself down and relax. She works with kids, so it's not good for her to be tensed up and stressed when she is around them. She reaches for her pager inside her purse and pages her assistant, Ruby. While she waits, she gets on her computer and begins looking through her thousands of emails.

When Ruby walks in, Regina looks up from her computer and smiles. "Would you go make me a cup of coffee? My morning was so hectic I didn't get to finish mine and I left it in the car."

"Of course," replied Ruby. She knew how important coffee was to her boss, so she never questioned Regina when she asked for coffee, even if it was her 5th cup of the day. She goes to the kitchen in the back of the practice and perks a fresh pot of coffee and then pours some into a mug. She adds two spoonful's of sugar and a little bit of creamer in it, just as Regina likes it.

When she's finished, she swiftly makes her way back to Regina's office and gently lays it down on her desk. "Is there anything else I can do for you, ma'am?"

"No. I believe that's all for now. Thank you," Regina replies without looking up from her computer.

Just as Belle had said, 30 minutes after Regina's arrival, the first patient showed up. Regina felt her pager vibrate and she saw Belle had notified her of the family's arrival. Regina grabbed her coat off the back of her chair and her stethoscope from her desk drawer and made her way to the exam room.

As she walked in, she had the biggest smile on her face. Children brought so much joy into her life. As stressful as her job can be, seeing these precious faces, and knowing she was helping them, made it all worth it. "Good morning! And how are we doing today?" She asked sweetly.

"Well, Alexa here has a terrible cough, and is complaining of a sore throat. I've given her children's Tylenol, but it hasn't helped much," Ashely Boyd remarked.

"Well let's see what we can do about that little one," Regina said as she took her stethoscope off of her neck. "Can you lay down for me sweetie?"

Though hesitant, the girl laid back and Regina began doing her work up. She placed the earpieces of the stethoscope on her ears and the other end on Alexa's chest. "Her breathing does sound a bit raspy," she comments. She then pulls out her otoscope to look inside the child's ears. "Now I'm going to check your ears, Alexa. Do you mind if I do that?"

The little girl shakes her head as she sits up and Regina puts the tip of the instrument inside Alexa's ears. "There's no sign of an ear infection, which is good." Regina smiles back at the mother. "Now mommy, the next part may need some assistance from you. I need to check her throat, and that may not be very comfortable." Ashley understood immediately and came to her daughter's side.

"Lay back for me baby," Ashely asked her daughter. Alexa complied once again and lay their patiently. Regina went to get the strep kit and brought it back to the room.

"Okay mommy, you ready?" Ashley nods her head and takes her daughter's hand in hers. Regina pulls out the stick that resembles a Popsicle stick. "Can you open your mouth for me princess?" Alexa opens it up slightly, but not big enough. "Just a little bit more." The girl opens it a tiny bit. "That's it. Good girl." Regina carefully places the stick towards the back of the girl's throat and presses down on her tongue so she can see a little better. Alexa gags and begins crying. "I know princess, I know this isn't fun. We're almost done."

Regina looks around Alexa's throat for a few seconds, then removes the stick and grabs the thing that resembles a Q-tip. She moves that into the little girl's mouth and has to wipe the back of the girl's throat. When she does the girl screams even louder than before. Regina removes the swab. "It's okay. We're all done!"

She smiles at the girl and helps her sit up. "You did a great job, Alexa!" Regina grins and grabs the swab. "I'm going to go run this and check for strep, which will take about 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, a nurse will be in here shortly to take her temperature."

"Great! Thank you," Ashely replies.

Regina runs the test and waits about 6 minutes until she's sure she's got an accurate result. She heads back to the little girl and her mother. At this point, the nurse has already taken her temperature (nothing too bad- 99.3). She walks into the exam room.

"Well, it looks like this little girl does have strep. Now, I will write her an antibiotic to help with that. You can check at the front desk and make sure the information gets sent to your correct pharmacy. You'll need to give it to her every night before bed. And also for the cold, I am not going to write anything for that currently. I will say give her some Delsym twice a day, and that should help within a few days. If not, come back and I will write something stronger to help knock it out."

"Thank you very much! I appreciate it," Ashely says.

"No problem." Regina walks over to Alexa. "Now since you did such a great job today, would you like a lollipop?" Alexa nods her head excitedly and Regina presents her a basket full of lollipops to choose from. The little girl chooses the strawberry flavored one. "Ooo! That's my favorite too!" Regina laughs slightly. She looks back at Ashely. "Have a nice day!" She smiles and walks to the front desk. She hands Belle the girls chart and Belle files it away. "I'll be in my office. Page me when the next one shows."

She worked in a small private practice. As expensive as her services were, she still had many clients, but not many were sick at the same time. So she went back to her office and sat down and began looking through her emails once again. About 45 minutes later, Belle rushes in. "Um... Dr. Mills, I have a man out here... He says he can only speak to you."

Regina hesitantly stands up from her desk and walks to the front of the practice. She is greeted, not so nicely, by a man in a suit. Before she can speak, he does. "Are you Regina Marie Mills?" the man asks.

"Yes, yes I am," she replies.

"You've been served," the man says as he shoves an envelope into her hands, and continues, "These papers are legal documents. Information regarding the case and the lawyers involved can be found within this envelope. If there are any questions, I suggest you contact them and your lawyer immediately."

Regina's eyes widen as the man walks away. She's had this happen before, but it's always a surprise when it does. She is a great doctor, she knows that. But when things like this happen, she immediately begins to question herself, though she'd never admit that to anyone. She turns around quickly and walks to her office before anyone can comment or ask anything.

She shuts the door to her office and paces back and forth. She hesitantly opens the envelope. One of the papers had the description of the case on it. Apparently, she is being sued by a 'Thomas Smith.' She can't recall who that is immediately. So she pages Belle. When Belle walks in she asks, "Can you look up and see if I have any patients under the last name 'Smith?'"

Belle nods and goes to the front desk computer and searches. She comes back minutes later with the file. "Yes. It seems you have a patient named Lilith Smith. She's 5 years old, and her last appointment here, you diagnosed her with bronchitis and prescribed her amoxicillin." She says as she hands Regina the file.

Before looking at the file, Regina continues to read the case. The father's reason for suing is on the grounds of negligent drug treatment. The girl was allergic to this specific antibiotic and had a terrible reaction to it and was sent to the Emergency Room.

Regina flinches when she reads that. "Did I really cause that?' She asks herself. Now she really doubts herself. If she was truly negligent in her prescription of that drug, she'd never forgive herself, especially if that child had died.

Belle was still standing in the doorway. "Do I need to call your lawyer?" she asked.

"No. I'll handle it. You can go," Regina replied. After Belle left, Regina went to her desk and sat down in her chair. She grabbed the phone and dialed her attorney's office. The phone rang a few times before someone picked up.

"Nolan and Locksley Law Firm, how may I help you?" the woman said on the other end of the line.


	2. Chapter 2

'Nolan and Locksley?' Regina thought to herself. Her lawyer was David Nolan, and as far as she knew before this moment, her attorney's office was just known by 'Nolan.' "Yes, I am Regina Mills, one of David Nolan's clients. Is he available?"

"Unfortunately, ma'am, he is out of town on business. Is this urgent?" the receptionist asks.

"Well, I have a legal matter that I need taken care of. Is there someone else available I can speak to until David gets back?"

"Yes, our new partner, Robin Locksley is available. Would you like me to make you an appointment with him?"

"That would be great. Could you make it for this afternoon? I really would like to get this settled as soon as possible," Regina requests.

"Let me check his schedule. May I put you on hold for a moment?"

"Sure." Regina sits there in her office, with the phone pressed between her shoulder and her ear. She absolutely hated dealing with legal issues. Most of her previous cases she won, but that didn't take away the fact that it was nerve racking. Regina is a strong, confident woman for the most part. She's smart and very talented, but in times like these, doubt creeps into her mind ever so quickly.

Regina didn't grow up in the richest of families. Her father and mother did not attend college, and her mother not even attending high school. Because of that, it was very difficult for them to find jobs that were well paying. Throughout Regina's childhood, her parents did all they could and worked as much and as hard as they could, but were never able to make ends meet.

Unlike her parents, Regina did go to school- elementary, middle, and high school. She loved learning, and her parents knew that, which is why they made sure they could at least afford to keep her in school. It was really the only thing they could afford outside of clothes and food.

They lived in a very sketchy part of town in Queens, New York. When Regina was in 10th grade, at the age of 15, her parents were murdered as they were walking home back from getting groceries. She had no family near her or even in the country to take custody of her. Her father was Puerto Rican, and her mother was American. On her maternal side, no one was alive. Her grandparents died a few years back, and she didn't have any maternal aunts or uncles. On her paternal side, all her family lived in other parts of the world. In light of all that, Regina was put into foster care. She was still able to finish school however. Despite the tragedy she had gone through, Regina did all she could to work hard and make good grades.

When her senior year of high school came, despite the fact that she had no money whatsoever to pay for it, Regina decided to apply for college. She thought maybe there were scholarships out there she would be granted. She made great grades and volunteered a lot around the city- two very good qualities looked for on applications. She figured it was a long shot, but she was willing to take the risk. One of the schools she applied to was NYU School of Medicine. She knew she wanted to be a doctor, and more specifically, a pediatrician. She loved being able to serve and help people, especially children. It gave her so much joy.

After several weeks of waiting, she finally received a response. Her foster mom brought her an envelope elegantly labeled 'New York University: School of Medicine.' Regina stared at the envelope for several seconds before opening it. She ripped the seal open and quickly pulled the papers out. She read the first sentence and immediately began crying. It read, 'Congratulations, Regina Mills! You have been accepted into our school, New York University: School of Medicine.' She was overflowing with excitement, but then the reality hit her. Without scholarships, there was no way she could actually attend this school.

To her relief, the next paper was an award for a full ride. After all the heartache and trauma she had been through in the past few years, something good was finally happening to her.

She turned 18 in early August (she was young for her grade), and not long after, she moved into her dorm at NYU. She was now free from the bondage of being in a foster system, and freed to do what made her happy.

She spent the next 11 years of her life dedicating her time and her energy into becoming a pediatrician. 4 years of college, 4 more years of medical school, one year of Pediatrics internship, and 2 years of a Pediatric residency. On top of all that, she was able to balance two part time jobs- waitressing and a cashier at the local grocery store.

After those long years of schooling and training, she took on a job in a family practice. She and two other doctors worked there, and Regina grew tired of it eventually. Within 3 years after obtaining her license to practice medicine, at the age of 32, she opened her own practice.

Now, 6 years later, she sits in her office, on the phone with her lawyer.

The receptionist began to speak again, "Okay. I apologize for the long wait. Mr. Locksley is available at 4:15pm. Does that work?"

"Yes that's perfect. Thank you!" Regina replied.

"You're welcome. See you here at 4:15." The receptionist hung up, as did Regina.

Regina sat back in her chair with her hands locked behind her head. "Just what I needed right now," she said softly out loud. After having a horrible morning, this added to it just made things even worse; not that she hasn't dealt with worse before, but she does her best not to expect or become accustomed to difficulties.

Regina finished out her day at work, meeting with a few other patients, stopping for a lunch break, then meeting with a few more patients. 4:00pm rolled around and it was time to close the practice. By force of habit, Regina waits for all of her staff to leave the building before she does. Part of her reasoning is because she wants to ensure they aren't staying behind to do more work than they need to, and part of it is for safety reasons.

After everyone files out the building, Regina locks up and heads to her car. This time, she is careful not to do anything illegal while driving. She can't afford to miss this meeting. She hates letting these issues drag out, so she makes a point to deal with them as quickly and as sufficiently as possible.

She arrives at her attorney's office. As she pulls into the parking lot she sees the name on the sign has changed. It now reads, 'Nolan and Locksley.' Curiosity sparks into her mind as to whom this new 'Robin Locksley' is, and when he joined the firm. It had been a while since Regina last spoke to David, but she still would have thought she'd have heard about this new partner. She shakes the thoughts out of her head, and instead fills her mind with thoughts about the case. She wanted to make sure her thoughts were put together before she presented them to this new lawyer.

She made her way into the building. It was a tall glass skyscraper in downtown Manhattan. The windows were tented black, and it had about 45 floors. The offices of the law firm were between the 22nd and the 26th floors. Regina rode the elevator up to the 22nd floor and when she arrived she walked to the reception desk.

"How may I help you?" the familiar feminine voice asked.

"Yes, I'm Regina Mills. I believe I spoke to you earlier when I made an appointment with the new partner of this firm, Locksley I assume," Regina replied.

"Oh yes! Ms. Mills. Right this way. Mr. Locksley will see you now," the woman said as she led Regina back to the elevator. "Mr. Locksley's office is on the 24th floor. He likes to be away from the busyness of the main floor, but doesn't want to be too far away." The woman tried to engage Regina in conversation, but Regina wasn't really paying attention. Thoughts still ran through her head. She was worried she'd say something wrong and sound stupid. Or even worse, she'd find out she was actually at fault in this case.

The elevator ride was short, and before long the two women were standing outside an office. The door clearly labeled whose office it was, 'Robin Locksley.' The receptionist knocked on the door a few times.

"Come in," a deep British accented voice said.

The door opened and the receptionist gestured to Regina that she could walk in. Regina walked in and stood barely inside the room. "Could you shut the door for me, milady?" the man asked her.

Regina turned around and gently closed the door. When she turned back around, the man was standing up. Involuntarily, her eyes drifted up and down his body. He was in a navy suit, tailored perfectly to his toned body. A white oxford button up lied underneath the jacket with a shiny black tie flowing downward from his neck. She noticed his shoes were patent leather, just like her heels. When her eyes moved upwards, they met with sparkling blue orbs. She was so captivated by them, that she almost didn't hear him speak.

"Robin Locksley," he said while sticking out his hand for her to shake. "And you are?"

After a few seconds, she realized she was staring and not answering. 'My name? What is my name?' She was so mesmerized by him, that she had trouble thinking of something as simple as her name. "Oh, uh, it's Regina. Regina Mills," she said taking his hand in hers. 'Wow,' she thought. She's shaken many men's hands before, but not many were as firm and as manly as his.

'Stop, Regina! Stop thinking about this right now,' she yelled at herself. 'He's probably some big stuck up guy, who's not worth your time,' she continued to warn herself.

Regina Mills has never been one to be all mushy gushy over guys. She has solely focused on her work, not letting anything distract her. She has been in a total of 2 relationships in her entire life. One of which occurred during high school, and the other a few years ago. The most recent one didn't go over so well. He was in fact the stuck up kind of guy Regina hates. He never cared about how she felt about her job and how important it was to her. He only wanted her to focus on him, nothing else. She stuck around in the relationship for a little while, though she's not sure why. But eventually she broke it off. Ever since then, she hasn't let herself even consider the possibility of another relationship. If that meant she'd be single until the day she dies, then so be it. Her work was too important.

She is taken out of her thoughts when Robin lets go and begins speaking again.

"So, what have you come here for today?" he asks.

"Well, first, when exactly did you join this firm? I don't remember David saying anything about a new partner," she commented.

"Ah, isn't that the burning question of the week," he joked.

Regina wasn't interested in making jokes. "Seriously..."

Robin laughed at her sudden seriousness. "Well, I owned my own firm in Seattle. David and I had crossed paths many times over our years in the business, and we had talked about the possibility of joining firms. A few months ago, David came to me with the idea of adding me as a partner at this firm. I spent a few months considering it, and eventually I decided to take the job. So, there you go- the story of how Nolan became Nolan and Locksley," he finished.

Regina glared at him slightly, "Wow. I didn't know asking when you came here would turn into a whole spiel about your life in the past few years," she said sassily. "Thank you for that," sarcasm flowed out of her mouth so effortlessly. "Now can we get started? I really need to get this taken care of."

Robin smiles before responding, "Yes. Of course, milady," He grins. "So explain to me your point of view of the case."

"Well, I believe I am wrongly being accused of malpractice. It says here," she says pointing at the paper, "that I was negligent in my treatment for this little girl," Regina replied.

"I am aware this child was allergic to the drug you chose to treat her with, is that correct?" Robin asked.

"According to this paper? Yes. However, nowhere in my computer system or charts or anything does it say she was allergic to any kind of medication," she answered.

"Is there any chance you could've failed to record the information or even ask for it?"

"I swear to you I would've written it down if I had been informed. And even if I didn't ask, don't you think a parent would care enough about their child to inform the doctor of important medical information?" Regina snapped back.

"I would hope so, but it's also your job to ask, if the parent doesn't," he replies.

"So you don't believe me then?"

"I never said that. But just as it is your job to ask important questions medically, it is my job to view this case from every angle and understand every possible argument against you. I need to question you as if I didn't believe you, because I need to understand exactly why you aren't at fault."

Regina couldn't respond. She didn't know how. He was right. "Now, I'm going to need a day or two to look over the case and contact the Smith's lawyer. I will keep you up to date as much as I am able to. Once that's all done, I will meet with you again, and I will need you to go through the events of that day in as much detail as you can. So be preparing yourself for that. Think through it, gather your thoughts, and communicate them as best as you can when the time comes. Understood?"

"Yeah," is all Regina could say. Her mind is completely overwhelmed with the things he just asked her to do. She's got a busy schedule at work in the next two days. How is she going to make time to think through an appointment she had with a patient several months ago? Stress begins to fill her body, and all she wants to do is go home and sleep, and wake up and deal with it all tomorrow.

"Okay," he says while standing up, "I will call you when I'm ready for us to meet up again. Until then, be careful, and be thinking." He smiled and stretched his hand out once again. Regina took his hand in hers and instead of shaking it; he brought it to his lips and placed a kiss on the top of her hand. Regina blushed immediately, but tried to hide her face so he didn't see it. "Have a nice evening, Ms. Mills."

Regina nodded her head and said, "Thank you." She took her hand out of his and walked towards the door.

"Oh, could you leave your name, number, and email address with the receptionist?" Robin asked.

"Sure," Regina answered softly, and then proceeded to walk out. She did just as he had requested, and then made her way back outside and to her car. She drove home, which took her about 30 minutes. The firm was ten minutes farther from her than her practice was.

When she arrived, she opened the door to her condo and immediately took off her heels at the door and dropped her purse and keys on the ground. At this time it was about 6:30pm. She didn't feel like making anything fancy for dinner like she usually does, so she opened her freezer and pulled out a frozen pizza and threw it in the oven.

While it was cooking, she went into her bedroom and slipped out of her work clothes, and put on silk pajama pants and a matching silk tank top with lace on the edges. She walked back into the kitchen when she heard the oven timer going off. She took the pizza out and sliced it up. She placed it on a plate and grabbed a bottle of wine out of her wine cooler and a glass out of the cabinet. She filled the glass more than she normally does, because Lord knows she needs it. She sat in the living room and watched 'Property Brothers' as she ate.

When 9pm rolled around she put her dishes in the dishwasher and went back to her bedroom. She pulled the comforter down and folded it neatly at the end of her king sized bed. She slipped under the sheets and laid her head on her pillow. She stared up at the ceiling for a while, unable to go to sleep. Her mind was racing with a million different thoughts. Thoughts about work. Thoughts about the case. And somehow, she let herself think about Robin. She hated herself for doing that, but for some odd reason, that annoyingly sarcastic and smart man got to her, and she couldn't quite put a finger on it.


	3. Chapter 3

Two days went by since the first meeting between Regina Mills and Robin Locksley. Two days full of constant work in both of their lives.

Robin was busy contacting the lawyer of Thomas Smith. In the two days, Robin had learned more specific information about what happened to the little girl after the administration of the amoxicillin. The lawyer had told him that the girl came home from the doctor and shortly thereafter her throat began to swell up and she couldn't breathe. When her father figured it out, he immediately drove to the hospital. When they arrived Lilith was hardly breathing whatsoever. Her throat had closed up almost completely, blocking her airway.

After a short period of time, the doctors were able to determine the cause of the inflammation, which was an allergic reaction to the antibiotic she was given. Thomas was incredibly outraged. As soon as he knew his daughter was well and safe, he called his lawyer right away. He didn't even let his mind consider what may or may not have happened that day at the pediatricians.

This was all three days before Regina was made aware.

After her meeting with Robin, Regina was busy also. She had more patients in those two days than she has in a normal week. It was flu season, which was always a busy time around her practice. Regina was thankful she was so busy with work. If she hadn't been, her mind would've constantly been worrying and stressing over her malpractice suit.

While she was working, her mind was completely clear of the issue, but when she was home, or when she wasn't working, her mind was overwhelmed with thoughts. She had gone back in time (within her brain of course) to the day Lilith Smith and her father visited her practice. She had spent these two days studying the girl's charts and files nonstop when she was at home.

Just as she had told Robin, nothing in the little girl's records showed that she was allergic to amoxicillin. She knew Robin would ask her if she remembered asking or being told the information at any point during the day, so she thought long and hard about it and tried to remember.

Now, at 4:30pm, two days after her initial meeting with Robin, here she was, standing in the familiar elevator of his building, once again. She was headed for the 24th floor, Robin had called her earlier that day to tell her not to bother stopping at the front desk and to come straight to his office.

She did just that. When the elevator doors opened at the correct floor, Regina walked out and made her way to his office. She stopped for a second, trying to remember where exactly his office was. After a few moments, she finally recalled and walked towards the door. She stood outside the door, and gently knocked. After only a few seconds she heard a reply from that accented voice she was involuntarily attracted to.

"Please come in," Robin said.

Regina did just that and closed the door immediately, thinking he'd just ask her to do it anyways. Regina smiled when she turned around and came over to the desk.

As soon as she came in, Robin grinned. He was in awe of the woman who just entered his office. Of course he had noticed her beauty days before, but today he actually didn't stop himself from thinking. He was obviously attracted to her. He couldn't help but notice her perfectly shaped body. As he looked at her, his eyes scanned up and down her body. She was in a tight fitting dress that accented her curves just right. It was burgundy, and she wore knee-high leather boots. He hair lay elegantly on her shoulders, and her makeup was soft; just enough to highlight her already beautiful features.

Just before she could sit down, something in Robin told him to come around and hug her. "Good evening, Ms. Mills," he said as he wrapped his manly arms around her. She didn't reply immediately, but rather stood there slightly uncomfortable.

"Uh... hi," she said awkwardly, still not hugging him back. Before too long Robin let go, sensing she wasn't comfortable.

"My apologizes, milady. I do hope you don't mind the hug," he paused realizing what he had just done. He scrambled within his mind for a reasonable explanation. "Where I come from, it's normal, and frankly a little more proper to hug an acquaintance when they arrive," he finished.

"No... it's fine," she replied.

"How have you been?" he asked to divert their attention away from what had just taken place.

"Okay, I guess," Regina answered quietly.

"I guess? That doesn't sound very reassuring," Robin commented.

"Well, you try being bombarded with more patients in two days than you normally have in a week," she stopped. "Oh and add a lawsuit on top of it, with thousands of things to think through before meeting with your lawyer again. Then come talk to me," she said sassily.

"I'm sorry. But I do understand how you feel. I wish things were different, but if this is going to get taken care of professionally and thoroughly, it requires extreme effort on both of our parts," Robin said.

"Extreme is an understatement," Regina said under her breath. Robin heard her, but chose to ignore it, and instead get down to the real reason why they were meeting.

"Have you taken time to think through what I asked you to?" he asked.

"Are you kidding me? Other than when I'm with patients, that's pretty much all I've been thinking about. I've spent every waking moment outside of work looking through paper work and the records of the child. I've barely slept."

"To be honest, I can tell. You look exhausted, or overwhelmed, or both," he commented.

"Both. Most definitely both," Regina said just before she exhaled dramatically.

"Okay, well we should probably get started. Let's start at the beginning," he paused. "How did you feel when you woke up that morning? We're you angry, stressed, calm?"

"What is this? Some kind of therapy session? Thanks, but I don't need therapy," she barked back.

"In a way, yes, it is. But it is necessary. I need to know exactly what your mindset was when you came into work that day. Attitude plays a huge part in our decision making. So please, just answer the question," Robin replied.

Regina sighed and took a minute to think. Then she replied, "Well if you must know, I was upset."

"Upset about...?" Robin asked.

Regina shuttered for a second. Because now she was being forced to think about something she really just wanted to forget. Her eyes filled with tears, but she immediately wiped them away. "I had just found out..." she said just before her voice braked, then she continued, "that I... that I had lost my baby," she said as more tears streamed down her cheeks.

Robin's eyes widened, but his heart sank. He wasn't aware she had been pregnant before; not that he would. He hasn't known her long. "I-I'm so sorry Regina. What happened?" he asked kindly.

"I had gotten pregnant not long before I broke up with my boyfriend at the time. I didn't find out I was pregnant until after he had already moved out of town. I was about 4 months along when I miscarried," her voice began to break again. "I woke up in the middle of the night to a bunch of blood, and I... and I..." she couldn't continue.

"You don't have to explain anymore about that," Robin said softly. "However, I do need to keep asking some questions about your mindset on the day of this girl's appointment, if that's ok?" Regina just nodded her head. "Now when you got to work, was your mind clear, or were you still upset?"

"I had calmed down, but I wasn't completely over it when I arrived."

"And what time was that?" he asked.

"7:15am," she replied.

"And at what time did Mr. Smith arrive with his daughter?"

"Her chart says her appointment was at 11:25am. I personally don't recall if that's when she arrived, but I'd assume that's about the time," Regina answered.

"And by that point how were you?"

"Better," Regina said hesitantly.

"You sure about that? You don't sound too confident," Robin pointed out.

"I did what I could to clear my mind. And I don't recall feeling too distracted during the appointment."

"Okay, I believe you. Now, do you recall asking for any medical information such as allergies?"

"I don't know," she said hesitantly.

"Well that's not helpful at all," Robin snapped. "I need you to be certain. If you go in front of a judge and say I don't know, he's going to be even more inclined to find you guilty. So you MUST be absolutely certain."

"I'm sorry, but I don't know if I asked. But I DO know that the father never said a word about it. I spoke to Belle, and Lilith was a new patient, so Belle had the father fill out a chart with information about her medical history. Nowhere on the paper did he mark any allergies. None whatsoever," Regina said.

Robin smiled and leaned back in his chair. "See, now we are getting somewhere. Why didn't you just say all that instead of simply saying 'I don't know'?"

Regina relaxed in her chair a little. Finally, she was doing something right. Well, more like Belle did something right by giving the dad the form. She just shrugged her shoulders, causing Robin to chuckle slightly.

"Do you have any idea why the father wouldn't have mentioned her allergies, especially to a medication as common as amoxicillin?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. It confuses me to be honest. But I know there are many parents who have just failed to get their children tested. And I know Thomas is a single dad, and he's busy all the time. I'm sure it slipped his mind."

"Possibly," Robin commented. "So, I'm going to need you to get me that form ASAP. You can fax it to me or you can come back here and bring it to me. The judge will need evidence proving the father's fault in this," he added.

"Sure. But Robin..." Regina started.

"Mhmm?"

"I really don't want this to turn into blaming the father for being a bad parent. Like I said before, he's a single parent; we have to give him the benefit of the doubt. I don't want him thinking I think he's a bad father. I'm sure he's not," she stated.

Robin smiled. He admired how great of a person she was. She was so caring and so thoughtful, and it made him even more attracted to her. "I understand, and I agree," he grinned. "You've got my word, I will not turn this into a point-the-finger kind of situation towards the father," he smiled.

"Thank you," Regina said and then smiled sweetly at him. This man was proving to be the total opposite of what she expected him to be. He was extremely smart, especially in the field of law. He was very hard working and dedicated to doing things properly. He was generous and kind, and very understanding. He was not stuck up in the least bit. He wasn't just some pretty boy who only had his looks going for him. His personality shined through over his looks and became the more prominent and likable feature he had.

Robin smiled back. "I think that is enough for today. You've gone through more than you should have to for one day." He smiled again and stood up from his desk. His mind told him to hug her again. He tried to resist that, but after all she'd confessed to him today, he felt she needed comforting. So, hesitantly he walked to the other side of the desk and stood next to her. "May I?" he asked with his arms open.

Regina nodded her head. Robin slowly embraced the dark haired woman before him. This time it wasn't awkward, and he could tell she wasn't uncomfortable anymore, though he's not sure what caused the sudden change.

"Regina, I'm sorry about your miscarriage," he whispered into her neck. "I really am. I don't know how you could've possibly gone through that alone, but you did. And that just proves how strong of a woman you are. And because of that, I know you will make it through this trial. You will," he said reassuringly.

Regina was extremely comforted and encouraged by his words. Somehow this man, whom she just met three days ago, was providing her more comfort and making her feel more at peace than she's ever felt around anyone. She couldn't find the right words to respond to him with, so she just nodded her head slightly against his shoulder. She breathed him in, and held onto him for a few more moments before pulling away.

Though it wasn't awkward, she didn't want him to get the wrong idea. Sure she liked the guy and was highly impressed, but she's way too scared to enter another relationship, and doesn't want him to think she is ready for one.

When she moves away he takes her hand and kisses it. "Please call me if you have any concerns or anything you remember that you think is important. Otherwise, I will talk to the courthouse and the Smith's lawyer and figure out when we can schedule a court date, and then I'll call you. Okay?"

"Okay," is all she said back. She smiled at him and then pulled her hand away and walked out of the office.

Robin watched her intently as she walked out. 'God this woman is amazing,' he thinks to himself. He hasn't known her for long at all, but he felt connected to her and drawn to her. Something about her captivated him. Sure her looks were attractive, but what he noticed wasn't external. He realized her internal beauty.

She tries to put on this tough external shell and not let anyone see her pain or struggles. She doesn't want anyone to see her as weak or incapable, so she hides her feelings from everyone around her. But what she doesn't realize is just how strong she is.

Keeping stuff like this within herself, and not completely falling apart trying to deal with it on her own, is remarkable. He feels the need to just hold onto her and let her know she is safe and that he knows how strong she is, and that he's there for her, but he knows that would be way overstepping his boundaries. So he holds back, and lets her go.

After Regina left the law offices, she headed to a nearby Chinese restaurant that she loves and got food to take home. As soon as she arrived at her condo, she took her boots off and walked to her kitchen. She placed the bag of food on the counter and went to her cabinet and pulled out a plate and a wine glass.

Once her glass was filled with her favorite red wine, and her plate was covered in food, she walked to her living room and sat on her couch. She turned the TV on and changed the channel to HGTV. For some reason, she was obsessed with home buying or home renovating shows. Tonight, she watched Fixer Upper while she ate. She found herself laughing at Chip's jokes throughout the entire episode. She was finally beginning to relax again after a long, stressful, and emotional day.

She finished eating and placed her dishes in the dishwasher. She went to her bedroom and changed out of her dress into a silk nightgown. She got in bed and lay there once again, unable to fall asleep.

She was no longer stressed about the case, so her mind wasn't overwhelmed with thoughts on that subject. However, her mind was still filled with thoughts of him; of Robin. 'How is it that a man I just met knows more about me now than most people I've known for years know?' she asked herself.

She is normally extremely reluctant to share any sort of private information with anyone, even her friends. But with Robin, personal information seemed to flow out of her way more effortlessly than she'd ever imagine. Sure maybe she was, in a way, being forced to share, but that wasn't really the reason she was able to do it so easily. She searched for a reason in her head as to what could've possibly made it so easy. She finally reached a conclusion- it was him.

Robin Locksley was the first one to break her barrier; to bring down her walls and enter into her mind and her emotions. He was the exact man she's been looking for all her life. But will she let him in completely?


	4. Chapter 4

It was 12:30pm on a Friday afternoon, and Regina had just finished meeting with a patient and was now headed to the kitchen to grab her lunch. She reached in the fridge and pulled out her salad and a bottle of water. She took her lunch back to her office.

She shut the door to her office, and then came to sit down. As soon as she did, her cell phone rang. She reached in her purse and picked up her iPhone 6, and looked at the screen. It was Robin. Something in her got excited when she read his name, and she immediately answered.

"Hey Robin!" she said a little more excitedly than she intended.

"Well hello to you too," Robin replied jokingly.

Regina blushed, and was grateful he couldn't see her face. "What's up?"

"Well I spoke with the court house and with Mr. Gold, Thomas Smith's lawyer, and we've pretty much settled on a court date, we just need to confirm it with you," Robin informed.

"And what date would that be?"

"This coming Monday, at 10:30am," he pauses and Regina thinks for a moment, so Robin decides to add, "Look I know it's a work day, but you'll just have to close down your practice that day. This needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible."

Regina sighs, "You're right. I just already had several patients scheduled for that day. I hate having to cancel appointments so last minute."

"I know, and I apologize for having to ask you to do that, but the sooner we get this over with, the sooner you can get back to work and not have this weighing you down," Robin encouraged.

"Fine. Monday's fine," she paused. "What do I need to do to prepare for this?" she asked.

"Well since tomorrow's Saturday, I'm assuming you're not working, correct?"

"Yes, that's correct," she replied.

"How about we meet for coffee in the morning or lunch and I can go over my plan and help prepare you?" he requested.

"Coffee sounds wonderful. Let's do that," she smiled even though he couldn't see her.

"Sounds good. Do you want to meet there, or should I pick you up?" he asked.

"Robin, this isn't some sort of date, you don't need to drive me," she replied sassily. Despite what she had just said to him, she kind of wished it were a date.

"I know, I was just trying to be gentleman," he stopped. "So what time shall we meet up, then, milady?"

She could tell he may have been a little hurt at how she responded, and she felt slightly guilty. "Is 9am okay?"

"Yes, that sounds lovely," he grinned. "I'll see you tomorrow at 9am, Regina," he paused. "Oh, and I do hope I didn't interrupt your work day."

"No, no, you're fine. I was just about to eat my lunch," she responded.

"Oh, well then looks like I caught you at a good time. But, please, don't let me hold you up any longer. Enjoy your lunch," he said kindly.

"Thank you. See you tomorrow," she said just before hanging up.

Regina sat in her office eating her lunch for the next 20 minutes. She was STILL thinking of Robin. Not thoughts of him related to the case, just him; just Robin Locksley and how much she admired him. No matter how much she tried to distract herself from thinking of him, he always crept back into her mind.

Regina woke up to her alarm clock at 7:30am. She slowly sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. She stood up from her bed and walked to the bathroom. She spent about an hour showering and doing her hair, and then another 10 minutes doing her makeup. Then she walked to her large walk-in closet and stood there trying to figure out what to wear.

She wasn't sure what kind of image she was trying to put off with Robin. Was she going for sexy, elegant, casual? Was she purposefully trying to attract him with how she looked, or did she want him to notice her personality above her looks?

Eventually, she decided on an outfit. She slipped on a pair of dark-washed skinny jeans, a red blouse and a black blazer. She dug in her closet for a few minutes trying to find her black heels, but then she remembered she had worn them to work the day before and took them off at the front door. So she walked out of her closet and into her bedroom. She grabbed her phone off the charger and saw that the time was 8:50am. She flipped out. Of course she'd be late for a coffee 'date' with her lawyer/person she's really attracted to. She decided to text Robin and let him know she'd be a few minutes late.

'Hey Robin, it's Regina. I'm so sorry. I'm running a little behind this morning. I'll probably be slightly later than 9am if that's ok. Again, I apologize. :)' she typed and then hit send.

A few seconds later Robin simply responded, 'Okay. No worries.'

She ran out of her room and to the front door. She slipped on her heels and yanked her purse off the ground and to her shoulder. She sprinted to the elevator, slowing down every time she saw a person coming towards her, because she didn't want to look like an idiot. She finally got on the elevator and waited eagerly to get down to the lobby of her condominium. When she did, she ran out the doors, and was shocked. Robin was standing right outside. He smiled and walked towards her.

"Good morning," he said sweetly.

"Robin, what are you doing here? I thought we were going to meet at Starbucks," she said in a surprised tone.

"Well, somehow I just knew I should come here. And it seems I was right, otherwise I'd be sitting there by myself for a good 20 minutes," he said playfully.

"You think you're smart, don't you," she sassed back. Robin just smirked. "Thank you," Regina said quietly.

"You are so very welcome, milady," he smiled. "Now, shall we get going?"

Regina nodded and he led her to his car. She smiled when they approached his car, because it was the same one she had, just a different color. "Nice car," she commented.

"Oh, you like? I wouldn't think a woman would find much interest in cars like this," he joked.

"Well for you information, I just so happen to have the same exact car," she playfully barked back. "Well I guess not exact, because mine is red, and you're is black."

"Seriously?! You have an Audi R8?!" he asked in a shocked tone.

"Dead serious," she replied.

"You continue to surprise me, Dr. Mills. You really do," he said honestly.

Regina just blushed. Robin opened her door for her and gently closed it after she got in. He then proceeded to make his way around the car and get into the driver's seat. As he drove, they talked briefly about their cars, and what made Regina decide to get one like this, but before they could talk about anything else, they'd already arrived at Starbucks.

Being the gentleman he is, Robin got out of the car and came to open Regina's door for her. "Here you go, milady," he said.

"Thanks," she said quickly. She got out of the car and walked to the entrance of the coffee shop. Robin followed closely behind her. When they got in, Regina headed straight for the counter. She needed her coffee.

"What can I get for you today?" the barista asked.

"Um... can I get a venti caramel macchiato with non-fat milk, upside down, and no foam please?" Regina requested.

"Absolutely! Can I get a name for the order?"

"Regina," she replied.

"Oh I know you! You come in here a lot, don't you?"

"Yes I do," Regina smiled.

"Aren't you a pediatrician or something like that?" the barista asked.

"I am. I work a few blocks from here," Regina replied.

"I'm pretty sure my sister takes her kids to your practice. She loves you!"

"Oh really? That's awesome! What's your sister's name?" Regina asked.

"Abigail Vaughn," the barista answered.

"Oh yes, I know her! Her kids are so sweet! They're always so well behaved in my office," Regina commented right before handing the woman her gold card.

"They are certainly adorable," she swiped Regina's card and then handed it back. "Well, enjoy your weekend! Your coffee will be ready in a minute."

Regina moved over to the end of the counter and waited for Robin to join her. Once he ordered, he came and stood by her side. Regina's coffee was ready, so she grabbed it, and waited patiently for Robin.

"That sounded like a very complicated drink, milady. What on earth possesses you to order something like that?" Robin asked jokingly.

"It tastes like heaven. That's what possesses me," she laughed. "Don't judge my drink choices. Especially when all you order is a cup of black coffee. Aren't you rich? Can't you afford to go a little crazier with your money?" she asked playfully.

"Well as you said about your coffee, I believe black coffee tastes like heaven," he grinned. "I won't judge yours if you don't judge mine. Deal?"  
"Deal," she replied. Just then the barista announced the name 'Robin,' prompting Robin to reach up and take his drink. They walked over to a table in the corner of the building. Robin pulled out Regina's chair, to which Regina said, "Thank you." Robin smiled and then sat down across from her.

"So what's your plan for Monday?" Regina asked before cautiously taking a sip of her coffee, careful not to burn her tongue.

Robin was in the middle of sipping his as she asked. He swallowed before answering, "Well, I believe our strongest piece of evidence is that form. So, we will use that to our advantage. However, I believe they will question you about how your day was going, just as I did the other day. You need to prepare yourself for having to share that information again," Robin said.

Regina did not like the idea of sharing such personal information with a whole courtroom full of people. "Lovely. Just what I wanted; a billion people knowing my problems."

"Regina, I know you're not an open book, and you don't prefer to talk about your private life, and I wish I could change this situation, but the fact is, I can't," he paused. "But, I can tell you that sharing this information with people just shows how strong you truly are. I can tell you think the opposite, but you shouldn't. You've gone through so much, and all of it you did on your own. But you're not alone anymore. I'm here to walk you through this. I'm your lawyer, and I'm going to help you in any way I can," Robin smiled and then sipped his coffee again.

Meanwhile, Regina was working hard not to cry. She was already beginning to stress over this coming day in court. She believed Robin, for the most part, when he said he was there for her, but part of her denied it also. No man has ever taken that much interest in or care of her. She's always been #2 in her relationships. Her past boyfriends had always wanted her to make them happy and never strived to do the same for her. And here Robin was, not even her boyfriend, but being 10 times nicer towards her.

"Thank you, Robin. Really," she said softly. Robin nodded his head and continued to drink his coffee. Regina looked away from him trying to avoid eye contact until she could gather herself together. Despite the fact that she was trying to hide her emotions, Robin noticed.

"Are you alright, milady?" he asked.

Regina quickly wiped her face and then turned to face him. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? I didn't mean to upset you," he responded.

"No, you didn't. I'm not upset. I'm just... thankful, I guess."

Robin looked at her with a confused face. "What do you mean?"

She took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. "Thankful for you. You've known me less than a week, and yet you've managed to learn more about me and understand me more than most people who've known me forever do. You've shown so much care for me, and yet I'm not sure I've done anything to deserve it," she replied.

He grinned at her response. He was glad she felt this way. It proved to him that he was doing the right thing. "Don't ever tell yourself you don't deserve to be cared for. Ever. You are deserving of far more things than you realize."

Unknowingly, his hand had reached out and rested on top of hers. He didn't notice, but she did. Her mind told her to move her hand away, but her heart told her to keep it there. She was scared to get close to someone again, especially a man. All she ever knew in a relationship was pain. This thing with Robin wasn't technically a relationship, but it felt that way, and was seemingly heading in that direction.

Against what her heart told her, she began to pull her hand away, and Robin noticed for the first time their contact. Before he could stop himself, he grabbed her hand a little more firmly as she was pulling away, therefore forcing her hand to stop moving. Regina's eyes widened, and she froze. Robin just smiled.

"Regina, I'm serious. You deserve everything," he said sweetly, and then let go of her hand.

Regina blushed, and then pulled her hand back to her coffee, and nervously took a sip.

After they had finished their drinks, and discussed what they needed to, Robin drove Regina back home. Like a gentleman, he walked her up to her room, seeing that she made it there safely. They said their goodbyes, and Regina shut the door.

As soon as she did, she leaned her back against the door and slid down to the floor. She had her head in her hands, and she was close to crying. While being so cared for by Robin was nice, it reminded her of all the pain she's been through in her life. The only man she's ever really known to be this caring and this hard working was her father. When her father died, and she got together with her first boyfriend, she thought for sure he was the one. But he only abused her and treated her like crap.

And then there was her baby daddy. He too seemed perfect at the beginning. But things turned bad quickly. He wasn't physically abusive, but he was verbally abusive. Whenever she'd be super busy with work, he'd yell at her for never spending time with him. Eventually, she had enough of it, and she conjured up the courage to leave him. Once she did, he left, and she found out she was pregnant.

Though she hated the man who had impregnated her, she immediately grew to love her child. She had bought tons and tons of baby stuff. Baby clothes piled up in her guest bedroom, and packs of diapers were stacked up in the closet. She was ready for this baby. But then everything went downhill.

She woke to a tragic sight. Blood was everywhere, and pain filled her stomach. All she could do was scream. She didn't know what was happening. She'd never been pregnant before, and never knew anyone to miscarry. So this was all foreign to her. When she found out she had lost her child, depression swept into her life immediately. She was now suffering the loss of yet another person she loved.

All that to show just how much pain she was now reminded of. Who knew something so good in her life could remind her of something so bad?

Regina couldn't bring herself to eat, or even change. So she crawled into bed, and curled up. Again, she couldn't fall asleep, but not for the same reasons as before. No thoughts filled her mind that night. Just pain.


	5. Chapter 5

It was now Monday morning. Regina had spent all day the day before preparing herself mentally and emotionally for the events of today. She wrote out everything she could remember about her appointment with Lilith Smith and how she felt that day. When Sunday night came, and she attempted to sleep, she couldn't. She was extremely nervous about today. She didn't have any reason to doubt that she'd win, but something within her felt like she'd lose.

She was exhausted, and almost refused to get out of bed, but she knew she had to. She gradually stood up, and began to get ready. It took her longer than usual to get herself ready. But when she finally finished, she went into her kitchen and made herself some breakfast. She scrambled some eggs, and poured it into her skillet, and cooked it. When it was cooked, she put it on a plate, made a small glass of orange juice, and sat down at her bar.

By the time she finished eating, it was 8:15am. Robin was scheduled to pick her up at 8:30am. So while she waited, she grabbed her papers and looked over the information over and over again until he arrived. At exactly 8:30am, she heard her doorbell ring. Swiftly, she stood up and walked over to the door. She unlocked the bolt and opened the door.

There he was, the handsome Robin Locksley, standing before her in a tailored gray suit with a black shirt, and a gray and white checkered tie. His hair was slicked back neatly, and he had on the best smelling cologne.

"Good morning, milady," he greeted.

"Good morning," she smiled and then noticed him staring at her.

Regina wasn't the only one admiring looks. Robin was taking note of her beauty once again. She was dressed in an elegant black dress, with a pearl bracelet dangled on her wrist, and simple pearl earrings. Her hair was elegantly curled, and part of it was pinned back. Her makeup was more dramatic than Robin had ever seen before, but in an elegant and not too showy way.

"Shall we get going?" she asked.

Robin shook his head, stopping himself from staring. "We shall," he replied.

They walked out to his car and made their way to the courthouse. When they arrived, they were sent to an office where they waited until it was time to meet with Mr. Gold and Mr. Smith.

While they waited, Regina sat on the couch with her legs crossed. Her foot bounced up and down rapidly, signaling to Robin that she was nervous. He walked over and sat down next to her and rest his hand on her knee, momentarily causing Regina to shutter at his touch.

"Calm down, Regina. Everything is going to be fine," he encouraged.

"You don't know that. There's no way you could possible know that," she complained.

"You're right, I can't know for sure, but I have faith in you and in our case," he smiled.

"What if I say something stupid? What if I forget something and screw up everything we've been planning for?" Regina said anxiously.

"You're not going to. You are an extremely smart and capable woman. You WILL get through this, and you WILL win," he assured her.

"I'm glad you're confident. Me? Not so much," she said softly and put her head down.

Robin rubbed her knee slightly, then brought his hand to her chin and lifted it. "Have faith in yourself," is all he said. He smiled at her and then dropped his hand, and stood up.

Just then the bailiff came in and announced that it was time to meet with the others. Robin stretched his hand to Regina to offer her help getting up. At first, Regina just glared at him, but then took it. As soon as she stood up, she let go of his hand and walked ahead of him. Robin shook his head when she walked past him. 'She's just stressed right now, that's all,' he said to himself, and then followed behind Regina.

As they approached Mr. Gold and Mr. Smith, Regina stopped in her tracks. She turned around to face Robin. She looked at him worriedly. "I can't do this," she said.

"Yes, you can. And you will," he smiled. "I'll be here the whole time. You have nothing to be afraid of, trust me." Regina just nodded and turned back around. Robin walked up next to her and walked beside her as they came up to the two men.

"Good morning, sirs!" Robin greeted, stretching out his hand for the men to shake.

"Good morning," Mr. Gold replied.

Robin put his hand on the small of Regina's back, urging her to speak and greet the men. She smiled and stuck her shaking hand out to Mr. Smith.

"Hello, Mr. Smith," she said nicely. At first, he just stared at her and didn't respond, but eventually he did.

"Hello Dr. Mills," he said harshly. Regina was taken back by the father's rudeness and her eyes widened.

"Mr. Smith, I am-" she started to say but was interrupted by Robin pulling her away from the conversation. As they walked away Regina did all she could to get out of Robin's grip.

"What the hell, Robin?" she asked angrily.

"You don't need to be getting into too much with him right now. The less you say now, the better," he replied.

"Robin! He looked so hurt, and so angry. All I wanted to do was explain myself to him," she commented loudly.

"Quiet down, Regina!" Robin stated. "You'll have your chance to explain yourself, but not in the hallway. You'll do it properly, in the courtroom," he demanded.

"But maybe if I just talked to him now, I could try convincing him to drop the charges, and we could all go home without even having to go into that damn courtroom," she said abruptly.

"Things don't happen that way Regina. And plus, that is way to big of a risk to take. You could just cause him to be more angry, and file even more charges against you, like harassment charges," Robin barked back. "I'm not willing to let you take that risk."

Regina huffed and crossed her arms. "You are infuriating sometimes, Locksley!" she replied.

"So now I am Locksley to you?" he asked.

"Well that is your name isn't it?" she questioned sassily.

Robin laughed. "Yes, but usually there's a 'Mr" in front of it," he smiled, and Regina smiled back. "There's that smile," he commented. "I knew it was in there somewhere."

Regina blushed. "You're awfully comfortable speaking to me the way you have recently, Locksley," she sassed.

"I could say the same thing about you, Dr. Mills," he said playfully. They both laughed, but were stopped when they were instructed by the bailiff to make their way to the courtroom.

"You ready?" Robin asked. Regina took a deep breath and nodded to him.

They walked into the courtroom. Regina and Robin took their seats at the desk on the right, and Mr. Gold and Mr. Smith sat at the desk on the left. Not long after their entrance, the bailiff stood up and announced, "All rise for the presiding judge Margaret Blanchard."

Everyone in the room stood up as the judge entered. She walked up to her seat, and sat down quickly. "What is the name of this case?"

"Smith vs. Mills," the bailiff replied.

"Is the prosecution ready to give their opening statement?" she asked.

"Yes, Your Honor," Mr. Gold replied. He stood up from his desk and made his way to the podium. He gave his spiel about how Regina was negligent in her treatment of the young girl. He explained how, as the pediatrician, Regina should've known the girl's medical history before treating her with such medicine. He spent his whole 20 minutes, trying to make the jury sympathize with the father by explaining, over-dramatically, what took place after the girl had been given the medication.

As instructed, the jury, nor the others in the court room showed any emotion whatsoever. Despite that, Regina just felt like they were going to find her guilty simply because of how much Mr. Gold exaggerated the girl's condition.

Once Gold finished, it was Robin's turn.

"Is the defense ready to give their opening statement?"

"Yes, Your Honor," Robin responded. He too, stood up from the desk and went to the podium.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat before beginning. "Good morning ladies and gentleman of the jury. Thank you for being here today. My name is Robin Locksley, and I'll be the defense attorney in this case. Today, you will here stories from the prosecution that are meant to evoke emotion from you; make you feel sorry for the little girl and her father. Now don't get me wrong, it is a tragic thing that took place to Miss Lilith, however, the cause of this horrible incident has been wrongly decided upon." He went on explaining what the prosecution will do throughout the trial.

When his time was close to being done, he wrapped up by stating, "I will bring Regina Mills to the stand to testify on this. She will explain to you what took place in her practice that day. My client, Regina Mills, is not at fault here. I will prove that to you beyond any reasonable doubt. I will give you clear evidence that shows her innocence in this case. The fate of this case rests in your hands, ladies and gentlemen of the jury. I trust that you will make the right decision today in this case. Thank you." He moved away from the podium and sat back down in his chair.

The rest of the trial went rather smoothly. Just as Robin had warned, Mr. Gold tried to use the girl's previous sickness to his advantage. Regina was shaking the whole time Gold was asking her questions. Fortunately, Regina answered his questions properly. Robin was right, Gold did ask her how she was feeling that day. Regina's eyes begin to well up as soon as he asked.

"I was upset that day," she said briefly.

"What were you upset about?" Mr. Gold asked.

"My miscarriage," she said. She knew she shouldn't cry, but the tears came down involuntarily. She wiped them quickly.

"So would you say your mind was not completely focused on your patient that morning?"

"Sure, maybe my mind wasn't completely there, but that doesn't prove anything. Every doctor has days when they aren't feeling the best or their dealing with personal issues. But I would never go into an appointment if I felt my medical advice was being compromised. Never," she replied firmly.

Gold finished up his questioning, and then the judge told Robin to begin his questioning.

"Now, Dr. Mills, you said earlier that your assistant Belle knows for certain the father didn't mention his daughter's allergies, how exactly is she certain?" he asked.

"Well, Lilith was a new patient, and just as with every other new patient, we had the father fill out a form. Within that form, there are questions about the child's medical history, including a section to list any allergies," she replied with a smile. She was beginning to feel more confident, because this was the one thing she believed would prove her innocence.

"And did the father list any allergies?" Robin questioned.

"No he did not. Nowhere on the paper did he say she was allergic to amoxicillin," she responded.

"Your Honor, at this time the Defense moves what's been previously marked as Defense Exhibit 'A' into evidence as Defense 1," Robin stated.

Judge Blanchard agreed to it, and Robin showed the form to the opposite counsel, and then brought it to Regina.

"Dr. Mills, is this the form you are speaking of?" he asked.

"Yes. This is the form we give all our new patients," she answered.

"Could you please read under the section labeled 'Allergies'?"

"I apologize, but there isn't anything here for me to read," she replied.

"So did the father write anything in that section?" Robin questioned.

"No sir."

"Thank you, Dr. Mills," Robin nodded reassuringly at her, and walked back to the desk.

"You may be excused now, Dr. Mills," Judge Blanchard said.

Regina stood up and walked to the desk and sat by Robin. They smiled at each other for a moment.

The judge then called each counsel to give their closing statements. Both sides did their best to summarize their case in the 20 minutes they had. When they finished, both counsels sat at their desk as the jury went back to discuss. Regina sat there nervously, her knee shaking uncontrollably. Robin noticed and slipped his hand under the desk and onto her knee. Her knee immediately quit shaking.

"Regina, calm down. Everything is going to be fine, trust me. You did amazing today," he encouraged. Regina just smiled.

The judge walked back in, as did the jury. The counsel stood, and Regina nervously grabbed Robin's hand. Robin couldn't help but look down at their joined hands and smile. Then he straightened his facial expression, and carefully watched as the foreman of the jury gave the verdict to the bailiff who presented it to the judge so she could see the decision. Then the paper was passed back to the foreman and he spoke.

"We, the jury, find Dr. Regina Mills innocent of the charges," the foreman said.

Regina immediately turned to Robin and hugged him tighter than she'd planned to. Robin didn't mind though. He responded the same exact way.

"See! I told you you'd win!" he said excitedly into her neck. Regina just smiled at his words and embraced him even more. She pulled back and looked him in the eyes.

"Thank you, Robin. For everything," she said sweetly.

Robin looked into her eyes as well and smiled. "The pleasure is all mine, milady."

They grabbed their stuff and walked outside the courthouse, it was now. Before Robin could open the car door for Regina, she stopped him. She looked him in the eyes and stared for a few seconds.

"What is it, milady?" he asked. She didn't respond. Not with words anyway. She grabbed him by the collar and smashed her lips onto his. Robin was shocked at first, but quickly began to kiss her back. When the need for air was overwhelming, they pulled back. Within seconds, Robin took a deep breath and then kissed Regina once again. His hands in her hair, and her hands on his waist.

When they pulled away again, Robin rested his forehead on hers and breathed heavily. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you to do that!"

Regina laughed. "Well if you were so eager, why didn't you just do it?" she asked playfully.

"I am a gentleman, milady. I do not force myself upon anyone without their consent," he responded.

They smiled at one another, and Robin opened the passenger car door. Regina got in, and Robin walked around and also got in.

It was now about 5pm. They had spent a lot more time at the courthouse than they thought they would. So Robin decided to ask, "May I take you out to dinner?"

"I'd love that," Regina replied excitedly.

They went to dinner at a highly rated restaurant in New York called, "Alessandro's." While they ate, Robin raved at how proud he was of Regina and how she handled herself during the trial. Regina explained how nervous she felt, and how much she thought she was messing up throughout the trial. They continued to talk about trial the rest of the night.

When they were done, Robin drove her home, and just like he did on Saturday, he walked her to her condo. She opened the door, but didn't walk in immediately. She looked him in the eyes,

"Robin, I honestly don't know how to thank you properly. You've done so much for me in the past week," she smiled.

"You don't need to. I take pleasure in just hearing that I was helpful, and seeing you smile," he grinned back.

Regina blushed and then began walking into her condo. "Goodnight, Robin," she said kindly.

"Wait!" Robin said before rushing to her and kissing her gently. The kiss was sweet and soft. In it, he told her how much he cared for her, and that he was still there for her, and would continue to be so long as she wanted him to.

Regina pulled back and smiled at him. "That was on heck of a goodnight," she joked.

"I figured I'd give you something nice to think about when you go to bed tonight," he smirked and then pecked her lips again. "Goodnight, Regina. Hopefully I'll see you again sometime very soon," he commented.

"I sure hope so," she smiled. "You have my number," she smirked and then closed her door, leaving him with that thought. She walked into her bedroom, changed into pajamas, and slipped into bed.

Tonight she wasn't overwhelmed or in pain, she was truly happy for the first time in forever, and she fell asleep with a smile on her face.


	6. Chapter 6

Regina's alarm went off very early on Tuesday morning. Typically, she dreads getting up, and takes her time, but this morning was different. She had gone to bed with peaceful thoughts. A smile was plastered on her face as she drifted off into a deep sleep. When she woke up, she was excited about the day. She wasn't entirely sure why. Yes, because of Robin, but how was she to know that he'd actually call her. She hoped he would, but she had no way of knowing he'd go through with it. Despite all of that, she still woke from her sleep smiling.

She sat up in her bed, and quickly slid out from underneath her blanket. She practically ran to her bathroom and showered. After her shower, she got ready rather quickly. Today, she had on purple dress that came down to just above her knees. A thin black belt was fastened around her waist, and her famous black pumps were on her feet. Her makeup was once again subtle, except for her lipstick. She wore her trademark pink lipstick, emphasizing her full lips.

Regina made her way into her kitchen for breakfast. She fixed herself a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee. Once she had finished eating, she grabbed her stuff and headed to work.

Meanwhile, Robin's morning went similarly. He too woke up smiling. His feelings for Regina were growing a lot quicker than he'd ever imagine possible. But it was undeniably true. He was overwhelmed with joy that she reciprocated the feelings, or at least it seemed that way. Robin was mostly certain she truly did have feelings for him, but another part of him wondered if she just got caught up in the excitement of the day. He tried to keep himself of thinking the latter option, but it crept into his mind every now and then.

He dressed himself in a pair of gray suit pants and a purple button up. Little did he or Regina know, they were matching that day. While he got ready, his butler prepared his breakfast. After he ate, Robin thanked his butler, and went off to work.

Regina walked into her practice and came towards Belle at the reception desk. As she made her way there, she was grinning from ear to ear. Belle looked at her slightly curiously. "Good morning, doctor. How did everything go yesterday?"

"It went wonderfully! We won the case!" she said happily.

"Congratulations! I knew you would," Belle encouraged. "Well it's nice to see a smile on your face," she added. Little did she know that this smile wasn't really about the case at all, it was about Robin. Belle handed Regina her messages and Regina went to her office.

As soon as she sat down, her phone vibrated. She grabbed it out of her purse and saw that Robin had texted her. If she wasn't smiling before, she sure was now. She eagerly unlocked her phone and read the text.

'Good morning, milady. I hope you're morning is going well :). I was hoping I could call you and speak to you for just a moment. Would that be alright?'

Regina felt butterflies in her stomach. She'd spoken to this man on the phone before. Hell, she's spoken to him in person many times, and yet this time made her feel all jittery. She immediately texted him back.

'Of course! My first patient isn't scheduled to arrive for another 30 minutes :).'

As soon as Robin saw her message, he quickly called her. The phone rang a few times before she picked up.

"Good morning," she said sweetly.

"Good morning to you too, milady," he said while smiling.

"What can I do for you Locksley?" she asked playfully.

Robin chuckled at the name he had just been called. "Well, I know this is very last minute, and for that I apologize, but I was wondering if you'd be interested in having dinner with me tonight?" he asked innocently.

Regina giggled under her breath. "Robin, I'd love to," she said excitedly. "But please, don't apologize. You are giving me something to look forward to today," she said happily.

"Well if I am doing that, then I am very honored," he smiled behind his phone. "Shall I pick up around 6pm?" he asked.

"Sounds lovely! I can't wait," she said energetically.

"Neither can I. I look forward to seeing you," he replied. "Oh, and wear something nice… not that what you ordinarily wear isn't nice…" he corrected, then continued, "I plan to take you somewhere fancy tonight," he said with a smirk.

"I most certainly will!" she responded.

While she was still on the phone, Belle came in and needed to ask her some questions.

"Well, I need to go," she said sadly. "I'll see you tonight," she smiled.

"Wonderful. Have a good day, milady," he replied kindly.

"You too." Regina hung up her phone and smiled a little before remembering Belle was in the room.

"You've been doing an awful lot of smiling this morning, Doctor," Belle commented.

Regina blushed. "Well I'm sorry. I didn't know being happy was such a crime," she sassed back.

"It's not a crime, Regina. I quite like seeing you this way. To be honest, it's been a while," Belle replied.

Regina sighed at her words. "Yes. Yes it has been a while," she said softly.

"Who was that on the phone? They seemed to bring on that smile of yours."

"Oh, um, it was my lawyer," she said hesitantly.

"Mr. Locksley, right?" Belle asked.

"Yes."

Belle grinned and her eyes widened. "Do you like him Regina?"

"It's 'Doctor' and it's none of your business," she barked back, but couldn't resist a small smile.

"You do, don't you?" Belle observed.

"Fine. Sure. I like him. What's it to you?" Regina questioned.

"Regina it's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm thrilled you found someone," Belle smiled.

Regina responded with a smile and thanked her. After asking what she initially came in to ask, Belle left Regina and went back to work.

Regina's day at work was busy once again. Children with the flu practically flooded the practice. She was on her feet the entire day, except during her lunch break.

When the work day ended, Regina swiftly made her way home to freshen up before her date. She contemplated changing her dress, but she loved it too much. So, instead, she just squirted on some fresh perfume. She reapplied her lipstick, and then went to her living room to wait for Robin to arrive.

Once again, Robin arrived right on time. As soon as the doorbell rang, Regina jumped up and answered the door. When the door opened, Robin was standing there in his purple and gray outfit, with a bouquet of red roses in his hands.

"Robin..." she sighed happily, "Those are beautiful," she added.

"Only for the most beautiful woman," he replied.

Regina blushed. It's been a while since a man treated her this way. Really, she's never had a man treat her this way; at least not genuinely.

"So, do you get here early and then wait outside my door until the exact time you said you'd pick me up? Because the last few times you've been here, you've arrived promptly at the said time," she giggled.

"I find it rude to arrive late, so I do what I can to make sure I show up at the right time," he smirked. "Now, shall we get going?"

"Absolutely, let me grab my purse really quick," she commented. Robin nodded and Regina went to her kitchen and got her bag of the counter. She walked quickly back to Robin. As she approached him, he handed her the flowers.

"Why don't you put these in a vase before we leave?" he suggested.

"Good idea," she grinned, and did as he said. When she re-approached him, he extended his hand for her to take. She gladly grabbed a hold of it, and their fingers naturally laced together.

As they walked to his car, Regina pointed out that they were matching. Robin found it hilarious, but Regina thought it was sweet.

When they got in the car, Robin cranked the engine and drove off. While in the car, they talked about their respective days at work. Regina explained her busy day because of all the kids with the flu. Robin explained that his was rather slow, and that David had finally arrived back in town.

Eventually, they arrived at their destination. When Regina saw where they were, her eyes widened and a huge smile appeared on her face.

"Robin! You can't be serious?!" she said shocked.

"I'm dead serious," he said playfully.

"The Rainbow Room? This is like one of the most expensive restaurants in town!" Regina commented.

"I did tell you I wanted to bring you some place nice, didn't I?" he asked.

"Yes, but there are plenty of other less expensive nice places around you know," she replied.

"I know, but you deserve for someone to treat you to a REALLY nice night out; and plus, I can afford it, for one night at least. Why not take advantage of that, especially when I have such a wonderful woman with me to share this experience with?" he said sweetly.

"You are seriously the sweetest man I've ever come across," Regina said.

Robin smiled and walked her inside. They were seated at a booth for two, and the waiter brought them a wine menu.

"So what wine would you like, milady?" he asked.

"I'm more of a red wine kind of girl. I'm not really picky on the kind, just as long as it's red," she grinned.

"Then red is what you will get," Robin replied.

When the waited came back, Robin began to order.

"Yes, we will take a bottle of your best red wine, doesn't matter the price," he requested.

Regina's eyes widened once again. "Robin, seriously, you don't have to do all of that," she said honestly.

"For you, I do, because you deserve it, whether you realize it or not," he smiled.

Regina blushed.

"So tell me more about yourself, Regina. I've heard some of what's happened in your life, but not much. Are your parents here in town?" he asked.

Regina takes in a deep breath when she hears him ask. She can feel tears trying to make their way out. This man never failed to find her weak spots. Typically, she'd be annoyed at it, but she knew he only asked because he cared. "My parents died when I was in 10th grade," she replied strongly.

"Oh, Regina, I'm so sorry," he said genuinely. "What happened? If you don't mind sharing," he added.

Regina looked down in her lap as the tears were now more evident. "They, um... they were killed, but I'd rather not talk about it. Not here anyways" she responded weakly.

Robin could see she was upset. "Of course. You're absolutely right. This is supposed to be an enjoyable night. I never should've asked." Robin shook his head. 'Of course I'd make her cry on our first date,' he thought to himself.

"No, you're fine. Maybe we can talk about it another time, when we aren't surrounded by all these people," she said a little more cheerfully.

"Whatever you want, milady," he smiled.

Just then the waiter brought their wine and took their order. Regina was starting to feel queasy, but she ignored it for a while.

As they ate, Robin was careful not to ask any questions that might cause Regina to cry. So he stuck to get-to-know questions. As they spoke, he found out she loved Italian food, and that she swore she had the best lasagna recipe. He also was made aware that she was slightly obsessed with HGTV, and the movie 'Just Go With It.' He was slightly surprised that such a professional woman would be so in love with such an inappropriately funny movie. Regina defended herself by excusing the crude things with the hilarity of the movie. She told him of her passion for baking, though she admitted she wasn't all that good at it.

Regina had learned things about Robin during this date also. He loved hiking, and just being outdoors in general. He had a younger sister named Marian who had a son named Roland. Marian had been diagnosed with breast cancer a few months ago, and Regina expressed her condolences. Robin also explained his love for Italian food, something he and Regina shared in common. He doesn't really have a favorite movie, but he highly enjoys anything with action or comedy in it. He told Regina he owned a condo in SoHo, just a few blocks down from Regina's condo. All these months, they had been so close to each other, and yet never met until now.

When they had finished their food, Regina's queasiness became more severe, and she excused herself to the bathroom. When she arrived, and when she locked herself in a stall, she immediately threw up. Regina is always exposed to sick kids with her job, but the only sickness she ever really catches from these kids is the flu. And of course she'd get it on her first date with a man she really liked.

She was in there for a while, and once Robin paid the check, he walked to the bathroom and waited outside anxiously wondering what was wrong. Regina came out about 10 minutes later. Her face was much paler than Robin had seen earlier in the evening. He knew something was up.

"Milady, are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, but please, call me Regina," she said briefly.

"You don't look fine, Regina," he emphasized her name, showing her that he was listening.

"I believe I have the flu. Lovely, right?" she asked jokingly, trying to distract herself from the wave of nausea that hit her.

"Let's get you home," Robin commented.

As they drove, Regina felt even sicker. Robin could tell, so he did his best to get her home fast. The minute they arrived into her condo, Regina ran to the bathroom, failing to shut the bathroom door for lack of time. Robin cautiously walked to her room and into her bathroom.

"Robin! Leave! You don't need to see me like this," she said weakly.

"I'm not leaving until I know you're alright," he responded.

Regina started to reply, but was stopped when she threw up once again. "I'm fine," she whimpered.

"No, you're not. So I'm not leaving," Robin made his way closer to her and knelt down beside her. He pulled back her hair, and soothed her while she vomited. She wanted to protest, and get him away from her, because what she was doing was highly unattractive, but she didn't ever get the chance.

Once she felt confident she wouldn't throw up again, at least not for a while, Robin helped her over to the edge of her bed.

"Can I get you something else to wear?" he asked.

Regina hesitated for a few seconds. Was she really going to let him search through her closet and her drawers to find her pajamas? She almost said no, but she knew she wasn't entirely strong enough at the moment to do it herself. "Yes, please," she responded innocently.

She instructed him where to find them, and when he did, he brought them to her. He thought about asking if she needed help, but knew that would sound awfully strange and possibly even inappropriate, so he refrained. He walked out of her room while she dressed, and when it was safe, he reentered. He helped her get under her sheets, and lay down. When she did, he knelt beside her bed.

"Can I get you anything before I leave?" he asked.

She smiled up at him. "Water?" she requested.

"Sure thing. I'll be right back," he stood up and walked to her kitchen. Minutes later he came back with a glass of water. "Here you are mil- Regina," he corrected.

She laughed at his almost mistake. "Thank you," she grinned.

Robin knelt by her once again and brushed a stray hair out of her face. "I really enjoyed spending time with you tonight," he smiled.

"Me too. I'm sorry I ruined everything. Being a pediatrician has its downside," she said.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. You didn't ruin anything. As long as you are present, I'm happy," he smiled.

"Thank you for taking care of me," she said sleepily.

"You're welcome," he replied. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead and placed his hand on her cheek, rubbing his thumb soothingly against it. "Go to bed. You look exhausted," he observed.

Regina nodded, but conjured up enough energy to bring her hand to his face and pull him in for a quick kiss. When they pulled apart, she closed her eyes.

"Goodnight, Regina," Robin said just before she fell asleep.

He quietly made his way out of the condo, locking the door on his way out. He went home, and immediately changed and got into bed. The one night Regina is sleeping without any thoughts in her head whatsoever, Robin wasn't. He couldn't stop thinking of her.


	7. Chapter 7

Robin woke up the next morning and immediately thought of Regina. He rolled over on his side to face his nightstand. He reached down and grabbed his phone off the charger. He looked in his messages and clicked on Regina's name.

'Good morning, milady :). I do hope you're feeling better,' he texted.

Regina had already been awake for a few hours. She woke up early still feeling nauseous, and she ended up throwing up a few times. She called Belle and told her she wouldn't be able to come in today, then she decided to get in the shower and just let the water run over her.

While she was in the shower, she heard her phone ding, signaling that she had gotten a text message. She opened her shower door and reached out to the counter and looked at it. It was Robin.

'I'm not feeling too good. I called in sick to work :(. Oh and don't think I didn't notice the 'milady' you wrote. It's Regina, remember ;)?' she texted hoping he'd catch her joking tone.

Seconds later Robin responded, 'I'm so sorry, |Regina| ;). Is there anything I can do for you?'

'Just getting to talk to you is making me feel better :). I'm guessing you have to work today, right?' she asks.

'Yes I do. I can come by on my lunch break if you want. I get an hour and a half," he texted.

'Only if you want to. I know you'll probably be busy. I'd love to see you, though,' Regina replied.

'I'd love to see you too. My lunch break starts at 11:30. So I can be at your house by 12 and spend about 30 minutes with you. Sound good? :)'

'Sounds perfect! Can't wait! Now go to work Mr. I'll see you in about 4 and a half hours :),' she smiled when she sent it.

'See you soon :),' he responded.

Regina then went back into the shower and stayed there for a while.

Robin got out of bed and put on black dress pants and a white shirt, and tied a blue and green bow tie around his neck. Then he put some gel in his hair and sprayed on cologne. He walked out of his bedroom and saw his butler, Niles, was already done making his breakfast. He had it sitting in front of Robin's usual seat with a newspaper and a cup of coffee.

"Thank you, Niles," Robin said before sitting down.

"You're very welcome, Sir," Niles replied.

Robin ate his food and then sat up from the table and Nile handed him his briefcase. Robin nodded to him and then walked out.

When he got to work, he immediately went to his office to set his things down, but then had to head to a meeting. In the meeting, David and Robin discussed the malpractice suit that Robin had taken on while David was gone.

At first, David wasn't pleased that no one tried to contact him about Regina's case, since he was her usual lawyer, but after Robin explained everything and told him they won the case, David's anger subsided.

After the meeting, Robin went to his office and studied the details of a new case he had. It was yet another malpractice suit for some surgeon whose patient died on his table in a surgery that the patient didn't really want, but did it because this doctor swore he'd fix him.

Robin spent the next 3 hours looking through every detail of his client's case, trying to find a logical explanation. This case wasn't as black and white as Regina's. There wasn't one piece of evidence that proved everything. He had to dig deep and make use of some of his lawyer tactics that he hadn't used for Regina.

After spending a while doing that, he checked his watch and saw it was time for lunch. He smiled immediately and texted Regina.

'I'm on my way, be there soon :),' he sent the text and headed to his car. He stopped by Panera and got a bowl of soup for Regina and a sandwich for himself. He hoped he could get her to eat something.

When he got to Regina's condo, he rang the doorbell. It took Regina a little bit before she could get to the door, but when she did, and when she opened the door, she smiled widely.

"Hello," she said.

"Hello," he said back with a smile. "I brought you some soup. Do you think you're up to eating it?"

Regina sighed, "Well, I haven't been able to keep anything down this morning, but I haven't tried soup yet, so maybe that'll be okay," she stated. She gestured for Robin to come in, and he did. They walked to her kitchen and she pulled out a bowl for herself and a plate for Robin. Robin got their food out of the paper bag and poured he soup into the bowl and placed his sandwich on the plate.

Meanwhile, Regina was getting glasses down out of the cabinet behind Robin. Robin turned around and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek before tickling her a bit, causing Regina to giggle like a little girl.

"There it is. There's that laugh I've grown to love," he commented.

Regina turned around in his arms and put her hands around his neck. "You always seem to know how to make it come out," she responded.

Robin leaned in to kiss her, but she put her hand on his lips.

"What's wrong?" he asked confused.

Regina began walking away to the bathroom, "I don't think you'd be interested in kissing someone who just threw up 5 minutes ago, would you?" she yelled to him.

"No, I guess I wouldn't. Although, I didn't really get a choice in the matter today," he joked.

Regina came back minutes later and wrapped her arms around his neck once again. "Now let's try that again," she smirked.

Robin leaned in again and kissed her softly. His arms wrapped around her waist like they had been before, and pulled her closer, careful not to break the kiss. They kissed for a little bit before Regina pushed him away. "I love this, but I'd also like to see you eat and hear you speak before you have to leave," she grinned.

Robin sighed, but threw a small smile at her before moving over to his plate. "I didn't think my voice was all that interesting," he said playfully.

"I find it oh so attractive. That accent is so sexy," she played. Robin laughed before beginning to eat his food. He noticed Regina wasn't eating and he glared at her.

"Regina, sweetie, you need to eat. Or at least try to eat," he encouraged.

Regina smiled at him, but he didn't know why.

"What's that smile for?" he asked.

"You called me 'sweetie'," she answered.

Robin grinned. "Is that not okay?' he asked playfully.

"It's absolutely okay," she said excitedly.

"Well then, sweetie, are you up to eating," Robin asked.

Regina sighed and looked at him, "I'm nervous to eat. Every time I've taken even the smallest bite of food, I just end up running to the bathroom and throwing it up," she said quietly.

"When was the last time you tried eating?"

"Maybe two hours ago," she replied.

"Well maybe you'll be okay now. You should try eating. You need to feed yourself," he said sweetly.

Regina nodded and Robin scooped up some soup on a spoon and brought it to her mouth. She opened her mouth and ate the soup.

"This is delicious," she commented.

"How do you feel?" he asked curiously.

"So far, so good. But usually it takes a few minutes," she informed. Robin sat there beside her and finished up his sandwich. Regina had eaten a few more spoonfuls of her soup before she felt sick. Her face got pale and Robin noticed.

"You're not feeling well are you?" he asked. Before she could answer, she was running to the bathroom. Robin chased after her and came to her side and moved her hair aside just in time. She threw up a few times before turning to Robin.

"Robin, you should go. You have to get to work. And plus, this is not an attractive sight," she said weakly before throwing up once again.

"I'll be fine. David owes me time off. He'll be fine," he answered.

"Robin... you don't have to take the rest of the day off for me. I can take care of myself. I have done it for 22 years now," she protested.

"I know I don't HAVE to, but I WANT to. I would love nothing more than to be able to take care of you," he smiled and rubbed his hand up and down her back. He stood up and started to walk out of the bathroom.

"Where are you going? I thought you WANTED to stay," Regina asked.

"Don't worry sweetie. I'm just going to get you some water," he said kindly.

Regina nodded and leaned back against the wall as she waited on him. Robin went into the kitchen and searched for the cup cabinet. When he finally found it, he grabbed one and filled it with water, and also got her some Advil. He swiftly made his way back to the bathroom and came and sat by Regina. He handed her the Advil first.

"What's this for?" she asked.

"Well, if you're like me, throwing up gives me a terrible migraine. So I thought maybe I'd bring you medicine just in case," he stated.

Regina just smiled. "How is it that you can read me so well already?" she asked curiously.

"I'm honestly not sure. I just feel so connected to you. Is that crazy?" he questioned.

"No," she whispered. "Not at all. I feel the same way," she smiled and took the medicine from him. She slipped the pills in her mouth and grabbed the glass of water from Robin and sipped it. She swallowed the medicine and then handed the water back to Robin. Robin reached over and sat the glass on the counter. He then scooted even closer to her and held her hand.

"Does your stomach feel any better?"

"A little, but I'm worried if I get up I'll just have to throw up again," she said softly.

"Do you think maybe with my help you could walk to the living room?" he asked.

"Maybe," she reaches her other hand to his free one. Robin gladly takes it and helps her stands up. As soon as she's up, he puts an arm around her waist and walks her to the couch in the living room. He helps her lay down and he covers her with a blanket. Then he goes to the bathroom and picks up the small garbage can and then brings it to the kitchen. He puts a plastic bag in it and then sets it by the couch. He then grabs the remote and sits by her head. He lifts it up and gently lays it in his lap.

"Still feeling okay?" he asks as he begins stroking her hair.

"Yeah. I'm okay," she smiles up at him.

"What shall we watch?" he asks. She starts to answer but he interrupts. "Wait. Let me guess, HGTV?" he laughs.

"How'd you know?" she asks playfully.

"Oh it's just a wild guess," he laughs again. He turns the TV on and the cable box on. Then he changes the channel to 1265. He looks down and sees Regina smiling.

"'Property Brothers' is one of my favorites!" she said excitedly.

"Oh really?" he asks as he looks at the two men on the screen. "It doesn't happen to be because they're good looking, does it?" he asks playfully.

Regina blushes and looks up at him. "Maybe..." she says back.

"Oh, so I have some competition?"

"Oh honey, it's hardly a competition. For one, they're celebrities, and I'll never meet them. And secondly, you're far more good looking than these two men combined," she smirked.

"I have a hard time believing that you truly think that," he jokes.

She playfully nudges his arm. "Well it's the truth. You are the handsomest man there is," she smiles.

"I'll take your word for it, I guess," he smiles.

They spend the next few hours watching the twin celebrities buy and renovate houses for couples. Lana points out certain interior designs she likes from Jonathan's work. Robin makes jokes about Jonathan's highlighted hair, but Regina defends him. After a few episodes of 'Property Brothers', 'Love It or List It' came on.

"Ugh! I can't stand this show. It's so fake, and so scripted," she complains.

Robin laughs. "We can change it if you'd like, sweetie," he states. She doesn't say anything, just smirks up at him. He got what she was communicating and changed the channel. "How does 'How It's Made' sound?" he asks.

"That's fine," she says briefly. While Robin watches it, Regina just watches him. She can't get over how quickly her feelings have developed for him. She never thought it could happen, but it was.

She sits up from his lap and scoots closer, causing Robin to look away from the TV to her.

Before he can speak she has her lips crashing against his. The kiss is far more passionate and heated than they'd shared before, but neither of them noticed.

Robin's hands went to cup her face, and her hands rested on his chest. Robin leaned her back, not breaking the kiss at all. They laid there for a while. Kissing- nothing else.

Eventually, they returned to their original position- Robin sitting up, and Regina lying with her head in his lap.

Between the soothing feeling of Robin's hands stroking her hair, and the monotone voice of the host of 'How It's Made,' Regina was soothed into sleep. It took Robin a while to notice, but when he did; he just let her lay there. However, within about 30 minutes, he too had fallen asleep with his head leaned back against the couch.

Though they didn't intend to, the couple had slept through the night in this position. This night was a peaceful night for both of them. They had fallen asleep so easily. Neither of them had had many calm and peaceful nights in several years. But together, cuddled up with each other, they finally got that peaceful night. Together.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: So… I'm here to give you a heads up. First off, the beginning of this chapter centers on Robin's day at work. Secondly, prepare yourselves for MASSIVE feels**_ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Very early on Thursday morning, an alarm sounded on Robin's phone, startling Regina. She quickly sat up, confused as to why she was on her couch and where the noise was coming from. She then turned to see a sleepy Robin lying on her couch as well. Her eyes widened and she shoved him to get him to wake up.

"Robin!" she shouted. "Turn that damn alarm off!" That wasn't the most important issue she wanted to deal with, but frankly, she knew it needed to be turn off before she could actually have a conversation.

Robin opened his eyes and frantically looked around. "Wh-What? What is it?" he asked worriedly.

"Can you please shut that stupid alarm off?!" she urged. Robin didn't respond. He quickly got his phone off the end table and turned off the alarm. "Thank god," she stated. "Now can you please tell me what happened last night? I was so out of it, I don't remember anything," she paused and hesitantly began to ask her most important question, "did we-, ahem, did we-" her question was cut off by Robin quickly answering,

"Oh god, no! Absolutely not! Regina, I am far too much of a gentleman to let that happen," he defended. Regina sighed in relief. "We were watching 'How It's Made,' and I guess it put you and me both to sleep. I apologize for not leaving as soon as you fell asleep; I was just loath to move you. You were sleeping so peacefully," he said honestly.

'No, you're fine," she smiled. "I guess that alarm means you have to go to work," she said changing the subject slightly.

"Unfortunately, yes," Robin said sadly. "You, on the other hand, need to rest today. You're taking the day off for a reason, don't waste that," he added.

Regina laughed. "Oh trust me, I don't intend on moving unless I get hungry or have to use the restroom."

"Good," he moved closer and kissed her temple. "I should leave. I need to go home and change before I have to be at work. Lord knows David will give me a hard time if I show up in the same clothes as yesterday."

Regina frowned, but knew he was right. "Yeah, that's probably smart," she laughed. "Have a good day," she added. Robin stood up from the couch and walked behind it. He came behind where Regina was sitting and leaned over to peck her lips gently.

"You too, sweetie," Robin said before leaving her condo.

Robin did as he said; went home to change. When he walked in, his butler Niles was glaring at him.

"Go on, ask. I know you want to," Robin said to him.

"No, no. It is none of my business," Niles said though he really was dying to know.

"I went to Regina's house on my lunch break to bring her some soup since she wasn't feeling well. I ended up not showing up to work the rest of the day because she was sick, and despite what she says, she needed someone to be with her. So I stayed. Then we accidentally fell asleep on her couch," Robin stopped. "There you have it," he said.

Niles smirked. Robin wasn't usually this open with him. Robin had told him about Regina, but not much detail until now. "So you didn't-?" he left that question unfinished knowing Robin would understand.

"God, Niles! Don't you know me better than that by now! You know I take pride in my virginity. And you know I am not one willing to give in to any sort of temptation" he rebutted.

Niles just stood there with wide eyes. "I'm sorry for asking, Sir," he said before walking away.

Robin just huffed and went to his room to change. He quickly slipped out of his day old clothes and re-dressed himself in a new pair of slacks and a button up. He grabbed a protein bar for breakfast and a cup of coffee, then he was on his way out the door.

When he arrived at work, he went straight to his office. Just as he had suspected, not even 10 minutes later, David barged in.

"Where the hell were you yesterday, man?" he asked angrily.

Robin stood up from his desk. "Look, I apologize for my absence, but don't you think you owe me a day off? You were gone for a week." he defended.

"Only two of those days were actual vacation days, you know that. But that doesn't answer my question Locksley. Why did you not come back?"

"Regina needed me," Robin replied briefly.

"What? Has she been sued again or something?" David asked curiously.

"No," Robin paused. "She was sick."

David looked at him confused. "Why would she need you?" he asked and then immediately connected the dots. "Oh, I see. You're together aren't you?"

"Well, we haven't really made it official, but to put it simply, yes, we are together," Robin responded.

David just looked at him for a few minute with a smirk. He sighed and then replied, "Next time you go on a house call to you girlfriend, could you at least call me and tell me if you don't plan on coming back? I mean, I'd prefer that you did come back, but if you choose not to, I at least deserve to be warned."

"Will do," Robin said.

"Good, now get to work," David commanded. Robin nodded his head, and David left his office.

Robin had about an hour before his client was scheduled to arrive, so he spent that hour reading through emails. As he did, he noticed he had an email from none other than Regina Mills. He clicked on it to open it. It read as follows:

'Good morning Robin! I'm sure you're busy with work, and probably won't have time to reply to this, but I just wanted to thank you. I honestly don't know how to express my gratitude for all you've done for me. Within two weeks, you've managed to help me more than any man, or any person has ever done before. With your help, I was able to get through a malpractice suit, and win it! With any regular lawyer, while I may have won, it wouldn't have been the same as it was with you. Somehow, although only knowing me for a short period of time, you were able to figure out just how to comfort me and make me feel confident in our case. And somehow, you managed to make me feel things for you that I've never felt for any man before. The night of our first date, you displayed so much interest in my life, and it made me feel important. Then when I got sick, you were so caring and so helpful. While I admit, it wasn't something I really wanted you to see, I did enjoy having you there to care for me. And then yesterday, you were so thoughtful in bringing me soup. I'm sorry I wasn't able to really eat it. And I'm sorry you had to see me throw up again. Thank you for staying with me throughout the day. I really hope you didn't get in trouble with David for skipping out on work. I would feel terrible. Anyways... I just wanted you to know how grateful I am for you. I like you Robin. I really really like you. Always know that.'

And with that the email came to a close. Robin hadn't noticed the few tears that came out of his eyes while he read. Here she was spending all this time thanking him, when really he felt he was the one that need to be thanking her. She has made him feel things for her that he's never felt.

In all 39 years of his life, he has not been in a serious relationship. The few he has been in were innocent crushes when he was young. Throughout high school, he was so focused on doing well in school. He knew he wanted to be a lawyer, and he knew what it took to become one, so he dedicated himself to being successful in high school so he could get in to law school. Then after high school, he went off to college, continuing his dedication. Then he moved on to law school, spending several more years. While practicing law, he decided he wanted to own his own law firm, which meant he needed his business degree, so he went back to school. Once he got his license, and started his law firm, he was always busy.

Needless to say, Robin Locksley had no time for relationships. It wasn't that he was against it, he was just so busy with everything that it just didn't cross his mind very often. So this thing with Regina was all new to him. He had never chartered such waters as these. He was nervously excited to see how things would work out for the two of them.

He wanted to reply to her email, but he felt that what he had to say would be better said in person. Not that he felt Regina emailing him this stuff instead of saying it to his face was bad, but he just wanted to be more personal with her with what he had to say. It may have been too soon to say what he wants to say, but he didn't care. For the first time in all his life, he knew what love was. And he couldn't keep that knowledge to himself.

The rest of his day was chaotic. His client came in, and Robin did what he did with Regina's case- really every case; he asked questions as if he felt the man were guilty of the malpractice. Where Regina learned to understand the reason behind Robin doing that, this man didn't. This man blew up in Robin's face, telling him he wasn't doing his job. Robin, being the gentleman he is, didn't fight back. He did what he could to explain his tactics to his client, but the man was too upset, that he refused to listen. The man ended up firing Robin as his lawyer and storming out of the building. Though Robin knew it was a lost client, and therefore lost income, he was quite relieved that this man was gone.

Since he no longer had that case to work on, Robin went back to reading emails. He smiled widely has he scrolled passed Regina's email. He loved this woman. As crazy as it was for being so soon, he did. And he wanted her to know. Now all he had to do was tell her, but didn't know how. He spent the rest of his day planning how he wanted to tell her.

Regina's day went just as she had told Robin; she continued to lay on the couch until about 10am when her stomach began begging for food. As hesitant as she was to eat, she decided it wouldn't be good if she let herself starve, so she made some oatmeal. To her surprise, the food stayed down. Though she wasn't feeling sick to her stomach any longer, she was still very weak from the previous two days. So she made her way into her bedroom to lie down. She slept through pretty much the rest of the day.

As soon as Robin finished working, he rushed home. He flew by Niles on his way in, not saying anything, and went to his room. He put on a different shirt, but kept on the same pants. He added a tie, and then squirted on more cologne. He looked in the mirror, checking his hair. He wanted to look his best for tonight. He then rushed back out of his condo, still ignoring his butler, and went to his car.

He drove to the best flower shop he knew of, and purchased two dozen long-stem roses. He then went to a secluded park he liked and set the scene. He used a dozen of the roses he bought and plucked the petals off of them, and sprinkled them elegantly on the ground in a circle. For some, what he was doing may have seemed a little too extravagant, but to him, to Robin, it was exactly what she deserved. Even if she didn't share the same sentiment at the moment, she deserved to be told in the most romantic way he could.

Once the park ground was beautifully decorated with flowers, he left for his most important destination, Regina's condo. As he got close and closer to her building, he felt more and more nervous. He kept asking himself, 'Should I be doing this? Is this a huge mistake? Will she get scared and run off?' Nevertheless, he kept moving forward with his plan. He knew he couldn't live another day without telling her how he felt.

He finally arrived at her condo, and nervously rode the elevator up to her floor. When he reached her door, he rang the doorbell. Regina wasn't expecting him, so when she opened the door, her mouth dropped.

"What are you doing here?" she asked curiously.

Robin smiled. "I'm taking you out for a little bit."

"Robin... I'm in my pajamas," Regina commented.

"I know. But you can change. I'll wait for you," Robin kissed her cheek and walked past her and went to sit on the couch, not letting Regina protest anymore. She just sighed, but her curiosity as to what he was up to overcame her, and she gave in. She changed into a simple red dress, and fixed her hair as best as she could, and applied some makeup. When she emerged from the bedroom she went to the living room and stood in front of him.

"Is this better?" she asked with a smirk.

"You look stunning, Regina," he smiled.

Regina blushed and then asked, "Now what are you up to?"

"You'll see," he grinned and stood up. He grabbed her hand and walked out of the condo without saying anything. While he drove, Regina kept trying to pry information out of him, but he wouldn't budge. He just kept telling her that she'd like his surprise. Robin finally pulled into a parking space and shut the engine off. He looked over at Regina and handed her a blindfold. "Put this on," he demanded.

"Really Robin?" she asked annoyed.

"Yes, really. Just trust me," he encouraged.

Regina did as she was asked, and then Robin got out of the car, and made his way to her side so he could assist her. He lead her into the park and to a pathway that lead to the spot he had previously decorated. Before he let her remove the blindfold, he walked to the end of the path, grabbed the left over roses in his hands, and stood in the middle of the circle of roses. "You can take it off now," he yelled loud enough so she could hear him.

When she opened her eyes, she didn't see Robin. She was so confused. "Robin? She didn't receive an answer, but she walked down the path hoping she'd find him. Then she saw him. He was standing there, looking all handsome, amidst all those rose petals.

"Robin..." she said sweetly. She walked closer to him and he stretched out his hand to her. She gladly took it and let him pull her as close to him as he could. "What is all this for?" she asks innocently.

"Regina, you came into my life just a short time ago. Within that time, so much has happened. You came into my office that day, not knowing who I was, and probably wishing I was David. The moment I laid eyes on you that day, something within me changed. Something within my heart changed. Then the more time we spent together, the more open you became with me. You shared probably one of your toughest trials with me. You let me see a side of you I don't believe you let many people see. Why you felt so comfortable telling all that to someone who was practically a stranger, I will never know, but I do know how grateful I will always be for it, for you. You see, I've never been in a serious relationship before. All my life, I've spent being submerged in school and work. Being a lawyer took so much dedication from me since high school, and I didn't let anything or anyone pull me away from that. My work has always been the most important thing in my life, something I believe we have in common. But for me, that's no longer true. For me, the most important thing in my life is you."

At this point Regina's eyes have filled with water, and the tears began dripping down her face. Her heart is racing faster than it has in a very long time.

"You, Regina Marie Mills, are the absolute most important thing I have in my life. I find myself thinking about you, worrying about you every second of every day. When I'm working, your on my mind. When I'm eating, I'm thinking of you. When I'm sleeping, or at least trying to," he chuckles, "thoughts of you fill my mind. My whole world has gone from being centered on work, to being centered on you in just a matter of two weeks. Call me crazy, but it's the truth. And so, with all that being said, there is one final thing I have to say," He pauses and puts the flowers on the ground, then takes her hands in his, "Regina Marie Mills, I love you. I am so in love with you." He says all of that with the biggest smile on his face. He had finally said it.

Regina looked at him with tears in her eyes. She didn't respond with words right away. Instead, she captured his lips with hers in a passionate kiss. When she pulled away, she looked down and then back up. "Robin Andrew Locksley... I've waited my entire life to find a man like you; for a man who loves me, for who I am, a man who cares for me in any and every circumstance. I came into your office that day, angry; angry that I had to change things, change lawyers. But boy was I wrong for being angry. That change-up in lawyers was the best thing that could've ever happened. I will forever be grateful that it did happen."

She looks down once more. "You don't know how amazing it feels to hear those words coming out of your mouth," she paused for a moment. "Robin... I wish I could say them back. I do. I'm sorry, but I can't. I just can't. Not yet," she sighs and tears flow from her eyes again. "I'm so scared. All I've ever known is pain and heartache in a relationship. I've been beaten up in relationship; physically and emotionally. I know you aren't like that Robin. I trust you, but it is going to take time for my walls to come down completely. I've trained myself not to let anyone break down my walls, but somehow you've managed to bring most of them down. Robin... I like you. I really do. But to say the three words you just said, and to say them genuinely with no apprehension whatsoever, I'm not ready for that," she says sadly with a long sigh. She keeps her face down, afraid to hear what he has to say.

Robin brought his index finger to her chin and he lifted it up, bringing her eyes to meet his. "Regina, I understand. And I love you even more for feeling this way. You are such a strong woman, and you've gone through hell. I would be a horrible man if I felt you didn't deserve time; time to be sure. I don't want to rush you into anything you aren't comfortable with. I want those words to come from you when you're ready. I didn't come here with the expectation that once I said I loved you, that you would say it back. No, I came here to share my heart with you, expecting nothing from you. I just wanted you, the woman I love, to know. And once you did, you shared your heart with me once again. That's all I could ever ask for in return. The fact that you didn't push me away and run off after I said it makes me the happiest man in the world. I love you Regina, and I believe that one day, when you're ready, you will love me too. I have faith," he ended his speech with a kiss.

He cupped her face and pulled her to meet his lips with hers.

When they pulled apart, they rested their foreheads on each other's and Robin stared into her eyes. Regina stared right back. He bent down and picked up the bouquet of roses.

"These are for you," he said as he gave them to Regina.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You're more than welcome, my _love_."

 _ **A/N: GAH! I was close to dying of feels when I wrote this. He finally said it. Maybe it does seem to be moving fast for Robin, but who cares. He's in love, and he can't change it**_ __ _ **.**_

 _ **If anyone watched this week's episode… I'm dead. I seriously have no words. I'm so mad at Rumple and Zelena. My poor OTP… I needed this fluffy chapter. So I hope I was able to make y'all feel better.**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: Once again, I should warn you. Major feels in this chapter and major heartache too. Prepare yourselves.**_

After Robin had finally told Regina he loved her, and after they shared a few more passionate kisses, Robin felt it was only fitting that he take his woman out to dinner. They decided not to go anywhere fancy, so they just went to Chili's.

While they were there, Robin was constantly saying 'I love you,' being sure Regina didn't forget. Regina was still sad she couldn't say it back. She wanted to, but fear kept her from saying it. At some point during the night, Regina decided that maybe if she opened up to Robin about her past relationships and everything she'd struggled with throughout her life, her insecurities and worries would slowly begin to fade away. But she wasn't sure when she should do it. She didn't want to do it that night. Robin had worked so hard to make this night enjoyable, so she wanted to make sure it stayed that way.

Once dinner was over, Robin brought Regina back home and said goodnight. They both slept rather peacefully that night. Robin fell asleep thinking of how much he loved Regina. And Regina went to bed thinking about how much she wanted to love Robin.

Regina woke up rather early on that Friday morning. She didn't get much sleep. She was planning in her head how she wanted to bring her past up to Robin. She knew it would kill him to hear the things she's gone through, but she also knew he'd be able to comfort her and prove to her that she could love him.

Despite how tired she was, Regina went off to work. She didn't bother eating anything; she was too busy planning to eat.

When she arrived at work, Belle noticed the bags under Regina's eyes. "Are you okay Regina?"

"It's 'Doctor' and I'm fine. Now please just hand me my messages," she demanded.

Belle did as she was told, but looked at Regina with confusion. Regina isn't normally this rude. Sure, Belle has seen the rude and sassy side of Regina, but it is an extremely rare sight.

Regina walked into her office and sat down at her desk. Almost without thinking, she pulled her phone out to text Robin.

'Hey. I hope your morning is going well :). So I was thinking, you've spent so much time at my house, and yet I haven't even seen yours. Would it be okay if maybe I came over tonight and cooked for you?' she read the text over before sending it. Once she did, she sat there patiently. Normally, he responded within seconds, but today took longer.

Regina felt really nervous for some reason. 'Was he regretting what he said to me? Does he not love me anymore? Did I do something wrong?' she asked herself.

Despite her anxiety, she had to work. She sadly put her phone inside her coat pocket, and wrapped her stethoscope around her neck. She walked out into the lobby to fetch her first patient of the day.

"August Booth?" she called. Just then a little boy about 7 years old stood up and tugged on his father's hand to walk toward Regina.

"I'm August," he said.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Doctor Regina," she informed the little boy. "And you're the father, I assume," she stuck her hand out to him.

"Yes that I am. My name is Marcus Booth. It's a pleasure to meet you," he replied, taking her hand to shake.

"The pleasure is all mine. Now if you will come with me, we can get started," Regina requested as she walked back to the exam room. When they arrived, Regina gestured toward the exam table. "Alright, August, could you sit up there for me please?"

The boy nodded and did as she said. He climbed up the steps and plopped himself down on the table.

"Alright, so you're here for a new patient check-up, right?" she asked the boy, but then looked up at Marcus for confirmation. The boy shrugged his shoulders, but the father answered her.

"Yes. I've heard such great things about you, so I figured I should see for myself," he smiled.

"Well, I hope I can live up to your expectations," she smiled back. "So in a new patient check-up, I just ask some questions about his medical history and then I'll measure his height and weight. Kind of like a physical," she informed.

Ever since her malpractice suit, she's changed how she does these types of appointments. She still requires them to fill out a form, just so they have written information, but she now asks those questions in person so she can hear it for herself.

"First off, does August have any allergies? To food, medicine, anything?" she asks this first. She learned her lesson from the Smith case.

"I'm not sure. I haven't gotten him tested yet," Marcus replied.

Boy is Regina glad she asked, then. "Well, be sure to do that very soon. If you want, I can have my receptionist call and make you an appointment with a trusted allergy doctor,"

"That would be great! Thank you," he said happily.

Regina smiled in response. "Now, is there any genetic diseases or disorders that are of concern for your son?" she questions.

"No. Fortunately, my family has been blessed. No one has had any serious illnesses," he answered.

Regina kept questioning him for a bit, asking general medical questions. When she ran out of questions, it was time to take his measurements.

"August, will you come with me?" August immediately got off the table and followed her. "Now step on this and stand as still as you can for me," she requested. She waited for the scale to calculate his weight and then recorded it in his chart. "52 pounds. You're such a big boy," she said sweetly to the boy. August just giggled in return. Then she measured his height. He came in at 3 feet 9 inches. When she finished taking those measurements, Regina handed the boy a lollipop and walked them back out to the lobby.

She leaned over the front desk and handed Belle the chart. "Belle, could you call Dr. Whale's office and make an appointment for little August to get tested for allergies?"

"Absolutely," Belle replied.

"Belle will call and schedule that for you, and you can pay her when you're ready," Regina said. She then bent down to August's eye level. "It was really nice meeting you, August." The boy wasn't a talkative one, so he nodded and smiled. Regina stood back up and shook Marcus' hand. "Same for you, Mr. Booth. Have a nice evening," she said as she walked back to her office.

When she sat back down at her desk, she pulled her phone out of her coat. She had completely forgotten that she had texted Robin. Her anxieties resurfaced immediately. She hesitantly looked at the screen on her phone. To her relief, Robin had answered. His text read:

'You're absolutely right, my _**love**_. It is definitely time you come over to my place. And as long as you're the one cooking, I'm all for it ;). Wanna come over around 5:30? Oh and just in case you've forgotten, I love you 3.'

Regina was delighted to read the words he had sent. And her heart skipped a beat when she read his closing words. She still hadn't gotten used to being told those three delicate words.

'5:30 is perfect! I can't wait to see you :).' she sent back.

Regina, once again, had something to look forward to after work. She continued her work day, doing her best not to let herself get distracted. She rejoiced when it was finally time to head home and get ready for her night with Robin.

She scurried through her apartment changing into something more casual, and then gathering the ingredients she needed to make her famous lasagna. She even decided to bring stuff to make apple turnovers. She knew for a fact she made the best apple turnovers known to man, so she figured Robin deserved to taste it. The moment she had everything she needed put in a basket, she ran out the door and made her way to Robin's.

He had given her his address, so she put it in her GPS to ensure she wouldn't get lost. It was only a few blocks away, so she wasn't too worried. She pulled into the parking garage and made her way inside and to the elevator. Robin had told her he was on the top floor, but left out a room number. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to know which room it was, but to her surprise, the elevator open to a relatively empty hallway. That is, of course, with the exception of candles lighting the walkway to the next set of elevator doors. Just then, Robin texted her.

'So when you arrive at the second elevator, there will be a welcome mat lying in front of it. Reach underneath and you'll find the key that will grant you access to the elevator :). Oh, and I love you.'

She texted back, 'Just arrived there. I'm confused, but I guess I'll see you soon.'

She practically giggled as she followed his instructions. She found the key and then placed it in the key hole. She turned it, and the doors opened. After walking inside it, she pressed the only button there was to push. Her eyes widened when the doors opened again. Robin was standing there, in what she presumed to be his condo, waiting for her. At first she was staring at him, but then her eyes drifted to what surrounded him.

"This is where you live?" she asked with her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open.

"Indeed," he smirks.

"What is this place? It's bigger than any condo I've ever seen," she noted.

Robin grinned. "This would be the penthouse suite," he smiled. "You see, I technically live in a hotel. But... I bought this place from them."

Regina stood there in awe, unsure of what to say. "That must have cost a fortune! How did you pay for it?"

Robin couldn't help but laugh. "Well, for one, I've worked my ass of since high school. And I've been wise with my money," he smiled at her. "Oh, and I love you," he smirked.

Regina couldn't help but blush every time he told her that. It made her feel special, which she's never felt before.

Robin gestured for her to walk in. He took the basket from her hands and kissed her on the cheek as she walked in. Before long, Regina saw Niles. She gave Robin a look that asked 'Who is he?'

"Oh, Regina, this is Niles... my butler," he paused. "Niles, this is Regina, my girlfriend."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Regina. I should thank you. It seems you've made Sir Robin so much happier these days," Niles said.

"I'm pleased to meet you as well. And there's no need to thank me. He's helped me more than I've helped him," she turned her head and smiled to Robin as she said that.

Niles turned to Robin as well. "Sir, I'm heading out for the night. Is there anything I can do for you before I leave?"

"No, I think we're good here. Thank you," Robin replied.

Niles bowed and then walked out of the penthouse.

"Sir Robin? Shall we make dinner now?" Regina joked.

Robin came up to her and nudged her shoulder gently. "Ha ha. Very funny. But don't make fun of my butler. He prefers to call me that. I've told him countless times to just call me 'Robin', but he refuses," he explains.

"Ah, I see," Regina says briefly.

"So what did you bring for us to eat? I do hope it's that lasagna you've been bragging about."

Regina pulled out the pasta box and the tomato sauce. "Your wish is my command," she plays.

Robin's eyes lit up. "You sure know how to make a man happy."

"And if you behave, I've brought stuff to make apple turnovers," Regina says with smirk. "But only if you behave."

"Why on earth would I misbehave?" Robin smirks back.

"I see that smirk on your face, Locksley. I know how men are... but I'm NOT letting that happen," she demands.

Robin is a little hurt by her words, but then he realizes they haven't really talked about that before, so she wouldn't know how he feels about the idea. So he decides not to defend himself just yet. Maybe later.

Regina spends about 20 minutes preparing the lasagna, and then it sits in the oven for about 25 minutes. While it cooks, she begins preparing the apple turnovers. Robin attempts to help, but he ends up making a mess so Regina playfully kicked him out of the kitchen. She told him to go set the table.

When the lasagna was done, and the turnovers were prepared, only needing to be put in the oven, Regina called for Robin to help her make their plates. Once they finished, they walked to the dining room and sat down across from each other.

Robin scooped up a bit of lasagna on his fork and brought it to his mouth. Just before he took the bite, he noticed Regina staring at him. "Would you stop staring? You're making me nervous," he says playfully.

"I'm sorry. I just really wanna know what you think. After all, I did work my ass of making sure it was the best I've made," she defended.

Robin looked under the table, at her butt, and then back up at her. "You most certainly didn't work off your ass. It's still there, and it looks as perfect as ever. Trust me," he smirked.

"Robin Andrew Locksley! What did I say about behaving tonight?" she questioned astounded at his remark.

"Oh be quiet. You and I both know that was hardly inappropriate. But I promise I'll be on my best behavior from here on out."

Regina huffed dramatically. "Fine. But would you just eat the lasagna already? I'm dying to hear your opinion!"

"Okay. Okay. Calm down," he laughed. His mouth opened, and the fork entered. His teeth clenched around the pasta and slid it off the fork. As he chewed, his faced looked as if he was deep in thought. Then, after swallowing, his face turned to pure pleasure. "My god, Regina! That was incredible."

Regina glared at him, "You aren't just saying that are you? Because if you are, that's a really cruel joke."

"I swear, Regina! This is the best lasagna I've ever had. And I eat Italian food all the time," he commented.

Regina's eyes grew bigger, and her smile widened. "Really?"

"Absolutely! You're amazing," Robin stated excitedly.

The couple sat in the dining room, blissfully eating their food, for the next hour or so. Afterwards, Regina slipped the desert in the oven and set the timer. They proceeded into the living room, where they sat on the floor in front of the couch, leaning up against it.

Robin traced his fingers gently along her arm, following his hand as it moved. Then he decided to speak up, so he looked up at her. "Regina, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

Regina looked at him confused for a second. "Dear, you've already said 'I love you' like a million times."

"No. Not that. Something else," he replied.

Still confused, Regina asked, "What?"

Robin took a deep breath before beginning. "So, you know how I explained to you yesterday that I've never been in a serious relationship before?" Regina just nodded. "Well, as a result of that..." he paused to think. "Well I guess that wasn't really the only reason..." he paused again, struggling to find the words to say. "What I'm trying to say is... is that... I'm still a virgin," he finally gets out.

Regina looked at him in the eyes. Was she shocked? Yes, of course. Not many men his age can honestly say that, and not many who can, would admit to it. "Robin..." she started sweetly, "I don't care about that. And please don't think for a second that I think that makes you weaker of a man or the lesser person in this relationship. Because, honestly, I think just the opposite. It takes strength, courage, and responsibility to stay away from such activities. Something I wish I had done a long time ago. It would've saved me from a lot of heartbreak," she ends softly.

Robin sighs in relief. "Regina, I'm so incredibly thankful for how you responded. Truthfully, I wasn't sure how you'd take it, and that made me nervous," he paused and looked at her lovingly. "I also need you to know that I intend on remaining this way until marriage," he trails off, hoping she was catching his drift.

"I understand, Robin. And, frankly, I agree. Waiting until then is 100% the right decision. Unfortunately, that can't really be true for me anymore. But, I am striving to at least hold out starting now. I'm not positive where this relationship will lead, but if it does lead to marriage, then I believe waiting will be the most beautiful decision we've ever made," she smiled at him.

"I agree completely. But I am not putting any pressure on you about the marriage thing. I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes," he smiled and then kissed her softly.

Regina kissed back for a second and then pulled away. "Robin. I too have things I want to share with you." Robin looked at her with questioning eyes. "I wanted to just share with you some about my past, and the struggles I've gone through."

"My _**love**_ , don't feel like you have to if you don't want to. I know how tough it is for you to talk about it," Robin commented.

"I want to Robin. I NEED to." To that, Robin just nodded and encouraged her to keep going. "So I guess I'll start at the beginning. I grew up in an extremely poor family. My parents weren't well educated, and couldn't get good jobs because of that. My mom was a high school dropout and my father didn't finish college. Though their jobs were not well-paying, they continued to work hard to provide for me. Because they were poor, they only had one child. Me. And frankly, I was an accident. They knew they were poor, and they knew bringing a child into such a poor family would not be ideal. But, nevertheless, it happened. Somehow, my parents were able to send me to school. I always used to ask why they spent money on that, but they just kept telling me not to worry about it, and that I should focus on my schooling. Looking back at it now, I realize why they were so eager for me to go to school and do good- so I'd have a good life later on. Well moving to when I was 15, I had been at school one day, and so I walked home, as I typically did. On my walk home, I saw two bodies lying in the alleyway covered in blood. From far away, I couldn't tell who they were, but as I got closer, I recognized them. They were my parents." She began to get choked up and Robin moved closer and wrapped his arms around her to comfort her. She sniffled and wiped off the tears temporarily. "My parents had been murdered by some maniac roaming the streets looking for money," she said angrily and then she laughed. "If only he knew how little he'd actually get from them, then maybe he would've refrained. And if only he knew, what child he'd be making parentless," tears streamed down her cheeks slowly as she said that. "Anyways... and then I went to foster care until I was 18. While I was there, at the age of 16 I met a guy named Graham. I thought what I felt for him was love, and I thought he reciprocated that emotion. But not long into our relationship, he began to physically abuse me." She shuttered at the memory. " H-He'd bring me behind school property and beat the shit out of me. Many times I was left there unable to move or do anything. Teachers would see me and ask who did it, but I lied every time. I kept myself in that relationship for a year, and finally I got the sense to leave him, and get help and protection from the teachers in my school. I finished high school, and I got accepted into NYU: School of Medicine. I spent about 11 years in college and med school, and eventually opened my practice. Not long after that, I began another relationship. His name was Daniel."

"Is he the one who didn't like how much you worked?" Robin interrupted.

"Yes. He's the one. At first, he seemed so caring and so understanding. I truly did grow to love him. But eventually, things turned ugly. He was abusive as well. Not physically abusive, like Graham, but verbally. He told me often how terrible of a girlfriend I was for not spending time with him like he thought I should've. He yelled at me for working so hard, and how much he hated me for it. Every time I came home from work, he'd start fights with me, usually for stupid reasons. He constantly told me how ugly I was and how worthless I was. And I grew to believe every word. As horrified as I was, I loved him, and I couldn't find the strength within me to leave him. But somehow, some way, after 2 years, I did it. And shortly after the breakup, Daniel moved away. I thought I was free. I thought my life would be forever rid of reminders of him. Boy was I wrong. A week after he left, I found out I was pregnant. At first, I was angry. Bitter. But despite who the father was, I had a baby- my baby- growing in my womb." Tears began flowing down her face even harder. Robin tried to console her, but it didn't help much. "I spent weeks, months planning for this baby. I was so excited. I loved this child more than life itself. I had finally prepared myself for being a mother. I was ready. But then my worst nightmare came true. I woke up in the middle of the night one night to blood pooled beneath me on my bed. My insides felt like they were being ripped apart. I screamed louder than I've ever screamed before, and sobbed for quite a while." She was close to sobbing now.

"Regina, please don't push yourself. You don't have to fini-" he was cut off.

"Yes I do! I NEED to finish this," she paused. "I-I couldn't move. My body had never been in so much pain, and I had no clue what was happening. Somehow I managed to grab the phone off the nightstand and call an ambulance. When I arrived at the hospital, the doctors ran test after test, and when they finally discovered what had happened, and when they told me, it was like I went numb. My whole world crumbled beneath me. The baby I had spent so long preparing for; the baby I loved more than life itself was gone. I can't tell you how much time I spent in my room sobbing. I had absolutely no one to be there for me. No mother to comfort me and help me understand everything and get through it. No boyfriend or husband to morn with. It was just me," she whimpered as she came to a close.

Robin didn't know what to say. What could he say? Nothing he thought of seemed good enough. He brought her face into the crook of his neck, and he stroked her hair. She laid there and sobbed for a few minutes before Robin spoke.

"Regina. I could sit here and try to tell you I understand how you feel, and that I can make all that pain and suffering go away, but I'm not going to. I'm not going to lie to you and say it's all gonna go away. Truth be told, those memories won't go away. But you know what? Neither will I. You said that you didn't have anyone there for you then. Well now you do. You have me. And you'll always have me for as long as you want me. I will be your shoulder to cry on; your ear to speak to and yell at and rant to; your encourager; your protector; your supporter. I will be here for you in every possibly way, for any possible need you may have. I AM NOT and WILL NOT leave you. I love you more than words can describe, Regina Mills. Forever and always."

And with that, the timer in the kitchen went off.

 _ **A/N: So… ya. Robin is a hero. He is incredible. I want a man like him. But sadly, I'm not sure if it will happen. Poor Regina. My baby! She's gone through so much. But praise the Lord for Robin! He's such a good boyfriend.**_

 _ **So I apologize to those of you who probably thought the turnovers were burning in the oven. And I know the timing of everything that took place doesn't seem realistic since turnovers don't take that long to cook, but this convo probably lasted a while. I just didn't want to interrupt the adorable talk. And I also didn't just want to take the whole turnover story out because then I would've had to take out the whole "If you behave" thing. So forgive me if you found it weird.**_

 _ **And for those of you who might be in love with Daniel or Graham in the OUAT story, and possible are offended that I turned them bad in this story, I apologize. But they were the first two names that came to mind, and they are the only two men Regina ever dated, so it made sense to me.**_

 _ **Anyways… I hate to say it folks, but this is where my daily updates stop. School has officially started up again. So I'm thinking I'm gonna try to update twice a week. I'll try that for a week or two and see how I like it, and if I need to adjust I will. So are Mondays and Saturdays good for everyone? Comment your thoughts.**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: Thank you all for your patience with me! I really wanted to write so bad throughout the week, but I had no time whatsoever. So I immediately began writing today when I was done with the ACT. So… without further ado, here's Chapter 10.**_

As the timer sounded, Regina lifted her head from Robin's chest with tears till dripping down from her eyes. "I should go check on the dessert," she said weakly.

"Would you like me to go get it?" he asked sweetly.

She looked in his loving eyes, "You're sweet, but I think you and I both know you wouldn't know how to tell if it's done or not," she smirked slightly.

"You're probably right, my love. At least let me assist you in the kitchen," he smiled. Regina nodded and they stood up from the floor.

As they walked to the kitchen, Robin quickly laced his fingers with her. Regina smiled, but Robin didn't notice. Something about that simple gesture on Robin's part made Regina feel so comforted and so at peace.

Regina approached the oven, let go of Robin's hand, and opened the door to peek at the apple turnovers. Robin took in a deep breath. As he did, the wonderful aroma of cinnamon and apples filled his nostrils. "That smells delicious!" he said excitedly.

Regina hardly noticed his comment. She was too busy analyzing the dessert. "Could you hand be a fork, please?" she requested.

"Sure thing," he replied. He pulled open a drawer and picked up a silver fork, then passed it over to Regina. "Here you are."

She smiled up at him, then hovered the fork over the dessert and proceeded to puncture the surface of the now cooked dough. "They could probably cook for about 2 more minutes," she commented.

The door to the oven was shut closed, and Regina stood up. As she rose, Robin walked behind her and spun her around before she could turn around on her own. Without even the slightest warning, Robin pressed his lips against hers. Regina responded by wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissing back instantaneously. They kept at it for the entire 2 minutes, but were interrupted by the timer once again. Regina pulled away quickly and bent down to take the dessert out of the oven. She pulled the tray out and set it on the counter. She turned around to grab two plates out of the cabinet, and when she turned back around, she saw Robin's hand inching toward the apple turnovers.

"Don-" she was cut off.

"SHIT!" he exclaimed, shaking his hand ferociously in the air.

"Don't touch it... its hot..." she slowly finished before bursting out in laughter.

Robin glared at her. "Is my pain funny to you?" he asked jokingly.

She kept laughing and then replied, "Of course not," she lied. "Maybe if you were more patient, you wouldn't be in this pain," she joked, and Robin laughed mockingly. She took a spatula out of the utensil drawer and lifted up a turnover and set it on one of the plates. "Here you are dear. But be careful, it's still really hot," she warned.

"Thanks dear," he mocked back. "No need to treat me like a child," he joked.

"I know I don't _need_ to, but it's oh so fun to do," Regina played. She then placed the second turnover on her plate. "Now, would you like some milk?"

"Milk sounds lovely," Robin replied.

Regina poured two glasses of milk and handed one to Robin. They made their way back to the living room and sat on the floor once again.

"I meant to ask... what was that kiss for earlier?" Regina questioned.

Robin smiled lovingly at her. "Throughout the whole time you were talking earlier, all I wanted to do was kiss you, and to express in something other than words, that I was truly there for you, and that I wasn't going anywhere. But I didn't want to interrupt you. So I waited until I found a better time. And catching you off guard like that is always adorable," he grinned.

"I don't know about adorable, but it sure is a nice surprise," she added before taking a bite of her dessert. Robin does the same.

"Wow!" Robin said happily. "Do you even realize how wonderful of a cook and baker you are?"

She blushed. "Well I've been cooking for just myself for so long, I just don't really think about it," she replied.

"Well, I believe you won't be cooking for yourself very much anymore. I will gladly accompany you," he kissed her cheek softly, and continued to eat.

They ate in silence for a few minutes before Regina spoke up. "So you've pretty much heard everything there is to know about my life. Would you like to tell me about your life?" she asked curiously.

Robin hesitated for a bit, but eventually answered. "Regina, I don't really think you'd want me to," he said softly.

She sighed. "Why wouldn't I? I want to know everything there is to know about you. I want to know you like the back of my hand. But that won't happen until you tell me," she commented.

Robin then sighed. "It's just... you see, my life was the total opposite of yours. I'm afraid it'll just sadden you to hear how relatively good my life was/is."

"Robin, how could I be sad that you had a great life? Just because my past isn't the prettiest, doesn't mean I wish everyone had to suffer like that. In fact, going through what I did makes me wish no one else in the world has to deal with similar situations. It overjoys me to know that you're past was pleasant. So please, don't be afraid to tell me," she finished.

He stared into her eyes, contemplating whether he should do what she's asking. He let out a breath and answered, "Well, I was born in Chicago to Andrew and Kristin Locksley. My parents were, are pretty wealthy. My father owned his own law firm, and my mother owned a bakery. They had me about 3 years after they got married, and my sister, Marian, was born 2 and a half years after me.

We had a pretty stable life growing up. My sister and I both attended private school until high school. After high school, I went to the University of Chicago and got my business degree, and then I transferred to John Marshall Law School. I had decided I wanted to be a lawyer when I was around 15. My father, of course, was a lawyer, and he had a huge influence in my life. I had thought about being a lawyer for a long time before I was 15, but I only felt that way because my father was pressuring me. My mother kept telling me to ignore what my father wanted, and to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Needless to say, I ended up still choosing to go into law.

After law school, my father immediately had a job for me at his firm, Locksley. Once he was certain I'd go into law, he began making preparations for me to take over his business when I got out of school. My mother had retired while I was at the University of Chicago, and my father was eager to retire also, but couldn't until I was ready to take over. After school, my father spent about 2 years training me, and then he retired, handing over the company to me. And you kinda know the rest of the story," he ended.

To Robin's surprise, Regina was smiling. He honestly didn't expect her to enjoy hearing how marvelous his life had been, or how everything was pretty much handed to him. So it made him feel so much better knowing she was taking it so well.

"How long did you own your firm before you transferred to David's?"

"Only a few years. I was eager to move away from Chicago and experience new things, in the business world and the social word,"

"And your parents, are they still around?" she asked.

"Yes, they live in Chicago still. My mother doesn't own her bakery anymore, she passed it down to my sister, but she still prefers to remain nearby," he replied.

"Tell me about your sister. What's she like?" Regina questioned.

"Marian is such a sweet woman, and she is so gifted. She reminds me so much of my mom. She favors my dad in looks, and I favor my mom, but as far as skill goes, she is definitely like my mom. She can bake like no one's business. But anyways... she got married about 4 years ago to Neal Cassidy, and they had a son, named Roland, about a year and a half ago. However, Neal passed away in a car accident when Roland was only 8 months old. So Marian and Roland live with my parents," Robin said in a soft tone.

"Oh my god! I am so sorry! How is she doing?"

"Um... she's doing alright. For the first several months she was quite bitter. She fell into depression, and would hardly even look at her son. My parents and I pitched in a lot, and still do in caring for Roland. It took her about 8 months to get somewhat back to normal. However, just when she got better, she was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer" he added.

"Is she gonna be okay? Regina asked worriedly.

"We don't really know. The doctors are saying that the tumor is spreading rather quickly. They aren't too optimistic about a recovery," he said sadly.

"Robin! I can't imagine. Is there anything I can do?"

"No, not really. I guess the only thing I can think of is to help me with Roland this week. Marian has chemotherapy every day this week, and my parents want to be with her at the doctor's office at those times. Therefore, Roland doesn't have a place to go, so I've agreed to watch him. I'm taking the whole week off from work. So if you want, you could come over during the evenings, after work. I've watched him before, but I'm not too sure I have the hang of taking care of babies entirely. So a female assistant would be much appreciated," he requested.

"Of course! I love children, as you know, especially babies! Maybe I could take some time off too."

"No, you don't need to do that. You've already taken enough time off for the trial and when you got sick. As long as you just come over after work, and make me dinner and help me get Roland fed and put to sleep, I'll be grateful," he said with a smile.

"I'd love to. How is Roland getting here?" Regina asked.

"My dad is flying in tomorrow morning to drop him off, and then is flying right back to Chicago," Robin answered.

"I'll come with you to the airport, and then I'll stay tomorrow to help you with him."

"Only if you want to. I know you might have some catching up to do for work since you were gone some last week," he commented.

"I want to," she smiled and took his hand in hers. "I want to be there for you." She leaned up and pecked his lips gently.

"Then, I'll gladly have you," he replied softly before kissing her again; this time more passionately. He moved the plates out of the way, and crawled closer to her. Then his lips met hers again. He leaned her back gently until she was lying on the ground. He laid his body down beside hers as they kissed. It was passionate, and yet still calm. Nothing about it was aggressive or hurried; it was sweet and gentle, and for them, at that moment, that's all they desired.

Afterwards, Regina rested her head on his chest with her arm wrapped around his midsection. Robin stroked her hair gently, and occasionally kissed her temple. By this time, it was close to 9pm, and Robin could tell Regina was tired.

"Would you like to stay here tonight?" he asked sweetly.

He could feel Regina stir at the question, and he knew what she thought he meant by that so he added, "I have a spare bedroom you can sleep in. My dad's flight comes in at 8am tomorrow, so if you're coming with me, and since it's already so late tonight, it may be easier if you stay."

Regina sighed. "I don't know. Is that a smart idea?" she asked innocently.

Robin understood what she was worried about. "Regina, you know my position on this issue, and you know how serious I am about living out my beliefs on it. You should also know that I respect the fact that you are staying away from it as well. So there is nothing to worry about. Trust me," he comforted.

She contemplated for a few minutes. "I do trust you. I just get worried sometimes. I'll stay."

"Good. Now, would you like to go to bed, or do you prefer to stay here and watch TV with me?" he questioned.

"We can watch TV for a little bit," she answered.

Without having to ask, Robin turned the TV on and went to HGTV.

"Robin we don't have to watch this you know."

"I know. But, you are my guest, and guests get to do and watch what they want," he replied.

They moved up onto the couch and Regina snuggled into Robin's side as they watched.

When 11pm rolled around, Regina realized how exhausted she was. She lifted her head from Robin's shoulder and said,

"I think I should go to bed, and you should too. We have a long day ahead of us," she commented.

"You're right," he added.

They rose up from the couch and Robin walked Regina to the spare room. It was huge; bigger than Regina's master bedroom. "Will this work for you?" Robin asked.

"Are you kidding?! This is amazing," she replied.

Robin laughed. "Good. Would you like a t-shirt of mine to change into before you go to bed? I don't think what you have on will make for very comfortable pajamas," he played.

"Sure. That'd be great."

Robin left her alone in the room while he went to retrieve a shirt. While he was gone, Regina slowly walked around the room, observing all the details there were to observe. She walked into the bathroom, and gaped at how large and beautifully decorated it was. Robin returned while she was in the bathroom.

"Regina?" he asked when he didn't see her in the room.

She walked out of the bathroom with a smile. "Wow, this place seriously keeps amazing me."

"I felt like that too when I first saw the place," he grinned. "Anyways, here's the shirt." He stretched out his hand to her, and she took the shirt from him.

"Thank you," she smiled back.

"You're very welcome, my love," he leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Goodnight, Regina. I love you so very much."

She blushed yet again at his words. "Goodnight, Robin."

Robin walked out of the room and made his way to his own bedroom. Regina took off her clothes and threw on the t-shirt before climbing into bed. Both individuals lied in bed thinking about the other. Thinking about the things they had talked about, and how no matter what their background, no matter how different their families were, they both still have trials and difficulties. No one is exempt from that. But what made it easier now for them was knowing they had someone to go through them with; someone to be there to comfort them and support them in everything.

 _ **A/N: So what did you think? I really hope this chapter was worth the wait. Can't wait to introduce baby Roland to y'all in the next chapter! I'm not sure when the next time will be that I can write. The next three weeks will be super busy. But I'll do my best to get one out maybe Monday or Tuesday, and probably next Sunday as well. I'm participating in a production that my church is putting on, and I'll be busy with practice tomorrow and then performances for the next three weekends (Thursday-Sunday). So just hang in there with me. I know it's no fun waiting for updates, trust me, I hate waiting for my fav ff to update, but I also understand why I have to wait. So I just ask that y'all remember how busy I am and that I'm fitting my writing into a very very busy schedule. LOVE YOU ALL!**_

 _ **Please comment thoughts and/or suggestions :)**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: Heeeerrrreee's Roland!**_

Robin's alarm clock sounded at 6am. He stretched his long limbs and then slid out of bed. He turned off the alarm and made his way into his master bathroom to take a shower. Before he undressed himself, he remembered Regina slept over the night before. He wanted to make sure she got up on time. He knew women took a while to get ready, and decided it was best to give Regina a good amount of time to do so.

He walked out of his bedroom, down the hall, and to the spare bedroom. He opened the door slightly and peeked in. Regina was still sound asleep. He admired how peaceful she looked, and was loath to wake her, but again, he didn't want her to have to get ready in a hurry. So, he slowly made his way into the room. Her hair was all over her face, so he brushed it back with his fingers. She woke up at his touch. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, and as she took in the sight in front of her, she smiled.

"Good morning," she said sleepily.

"Good morning, my love," he replied.

"What time is it?"

Robin looked at the clock next to Regina's bed, and then looked back at her. "It is 6:07am," he informed.

Regina groaned. "So early."

"I know, but we have to leave at 7:30, and I figured you'd appreciate more than just 30 minutes to get ready," Robin commented.

"You know me so well," she joked.

"Maybe," he smirked.

Regina sat up and threw her legs over and sat on the edge of the bed. She stood up, but lost her balance slightly. Robin held onto her when he realized it.

"You alright?" he asked only slightly worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just stood up to quickly," she smiled.

When he was sure she was stable, he let go and began walking to the door. "Well I need to go shower. I'll be out in about 20 minutes, and I'll make us some breakfast."

"Wait, don't you have a butler?" she asked out of curiosity.

"Yes, but I don't make him work on the weekends," he smiled.

"Oh, ok. Would you happen to have any extra shampoo and conditioner? I could use a shower myself."

"Possibly. I'll go check," he responded.

He left the room Regina was in and walked to his bathroom. He opened the cabinet under his sink and found a half empty bottle of shampoo and another half empty bottle of conditioner. He made his way back to Regina, and handed her the hair products.

"Will this do?" he questioned.

"It's great! Thank you!"

Robin nodded and smiled, then walked back to his own bathroom.

Robin spent about 15 minutes in the shower. When he finished, he went into his closet and picked out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt to wear to get his nephew. He quickly changed, did his hair, and proceeded to the kitchen to make breakfast. He got out the carton of eggs and the package of bacon. He cracked two eggs in the skillet and fried them, then when those finished, he cracked two more eggs, frying them also. Next, he fried a few pieces of bacon. Once it was all cooked, he made plates for himself and Regina. He planned to make coffee, but didn't know which kind Regina would want, so he decided to wait until she came out.

Meanwhile, Regina was in the shower. Unlike Robin, Regina spent about 30 minutes in the shower. When she got out, she realized there was no hair dryer for her to use. At first, she was quite upset about it. She doesn't normally let her hair air dry unless she's home alone. She wasn't much of a fan of her naturally wavy hair, but today she had no choice. She slipped on her day old clothes, and grabbed her makeup bag out of her purse. She was thrilled that she was smart enough to always bring her makeup with her everywhere she goes. She applied her makeup and then put her heels on. She walked out of the room and into the kitchen, meeting up with Robin.

"Wow! The food smells delicious," Regina commented gleefully.

"Why thank you," Robin smiled. "Now, what would milady like to drink? I have coffee, orange juice, water…" he trailed off.

"Coffee. Definitely coffee," she grinned.

"And what kind of coffee? I've got caramel, sugar cookie, French vanilla, hazelnut…" he trailed off once again.

"Uh… how about sugar cookie," she decided.

"Sugar cookie it is." He slipped the k-cup into the Keurig and pressed the start button. Within seconds, the coffee cup was full.

"I also have several flavors of creamer, if you like cream in your coffee."

"Do you have Italian sweet cream?" she enquired.

"I believe I do." He opened the fridge door and scanned through the coffee creamers. "Ah! Here it is," he exclaimed. He handed it to her. "I'll let you be in charge of pouring it in the cup. I don't want to add too much or too little," he smirked. "The sugar is over there," he said pointing next to the stove.

While Regina added the sugar and cream to her coffee, Robin made himself a cup of hazelnut coffee.

Regina picked up the creamer and began giving it to Robin. "Would you like some?"

"No, thank you. I'm a black coffee kind of guy. Remember?" he questioned.

She ran through her brain trying to think of how she might know that. Then she remembered. Starbucks. "Oh yeah! You thought my drink was too complicated," she joked.

"I didn't _think_ it was too complicated. I _know_ it was too complicated," he played back.

They swiftly made their way to the dining room table and sat down opposite one another. They ate in relative silence for the next 10 minutes. Regina took a sip of her coffee, and then asked:

"So when was the last time you saw Roland?"

"I had him here about a week before you and I met. So maybe a month and a half ago…" he retorted.

"Do you usually keep him for a whole week?" Regina wondered.

"Typically. Sometimes it's shorter. Sometimes it's longer. It just depends on Marian's treatment schedule. There are weeks where she just can't handle the treatment for a full week, so they stop for a few days. Then there are other weeks where she's reacting well to it, so they keep it going. It all depends on how her body is reacting."

"That makes sense," she said briefly. She then looked at her phone and saw the time was 7:28am. "We should probably get going."

Robin looked at the clock on the microwave. "Yes, we should." He stood up from the table and grabbed both of their plates and set them in the sink. "Remind me to put those in the dishwasher later, please," he requested.

"Sure," she responded.

Regina grabbed her purse and Robin grabbed his keys. They walked out of the building and to his car. The ride to the LaGuardia airport took about 30 minutes, and they arrived just shortly after 8am. Robin parked the car and the walked into the airport and waited for his father and nephew to come out of the terminal section of the airport.

Not long after they arrived, Robin noticed his father making his way down the corridor. Robin reached his arm in the air and waved it to signal to his dad where he was. His dad approached them and hugged his son.

"Hey son," Andrew said.

"Hey dad," Robin replied. He then looked down at the carrier his dad was carrying and unbuckled Roland and brought him up to his chest. "And hello to you too, buddy," he said in his baby voice.

Andrew noticed Regina smiling at Robin. "And who is this young lady?"

Regina smiled nervously and looked at Robin.

"Oh, dad, this is Regina, my girlfriend," Robin replied slowly.

"Oh yes! I knew that. I apologize, milady. My mind has been preoccupied lately," Andrew said quickly.

"I totally understand. Your daughter is of first important," she smiled. "It's nice to finally meet you though."

"Likewise. My son here has told me much about you. You seem to make him very happy."

Regina blushed and looked at Robin.

"That is certainly true," Robin added. "She's the light of my life."

Regina blushed and smiled up at Robin. There was then a slight moment of silence before Andrew spoke up.

"Well my flight back home is at 9:30, so I need to go re-check my bag and head to my gate. Take care of Roland, and I'll see you here in about a week."

"I will," Robin responded and reached his free arm around his father and embraced him. "Please give Marian my love. I'd love to call her one day this week, if she's up to it. So just let her know that, please," he requested.

"Will do. Take care, son," Andrew said before departing.

Robin looked at Regina and sighed.

"It's gonna be ok. No matter what happens, you'll get through it," she said hoping to encourage him.

"I hope so," he answered weakly. He zoned out for a moment, and Regina could tell, so she asked:

"May I hold him?"

"Of course." Robin shifted the boy in his hands and handed him to Regina. Regina immediately cradled him in her arms and began bouncing him.

"Hello, little man!" Roland grabbed her index finger and began playing with it. "You're such a cutie, aren't you? Aren't you?"

"You're such a natural," he complemented.

"Well, I do work with children for a living, you know."

"I know, but I have yet to actually see you interact with one. It's quite a precious sight," he replied.

"Babies are most definitely precious. Being around them brings me so much joy, even if they're crying."

"The crying isn't all that pleasant, but I guess if you're used to it, you can kind of tune it out slightly," Robin commented.

Regina laughed. He was a typical man; a man who loves children, but gets easily annoyed by the crying and the fussing.

"Let's go get his bag and head home. I'm sure this guy is going to be hungry soon," Robin suggested.

Regina nodded and they made their way to baggage claim. They were directed to carousel #3, and they waited until the carousel began rotating. Robin was familiar with what Roland's bag looked like. Marian had made sure to use the same bag every time to make it less confusing each time. When Robin saw the light blue duffle bag glide past him on the moving carousel, he speedily walked towards it and lifted it up. He stretched the strap over his shoulder and waited for the playpen. The playpen was white and brown plaid, and was pretty easy to spot. When Robin saw it, he picked it up and then walked back to Regina and his nephew.

"Let's get the little guy home," he said.

They made their way to the car, and Robin carefully strapped Roland's car seat in the backseat. Robin then placed the bag in the trunk, and the two adults got in the car. While they were driving, Roland began screaming.

Robin panicked slightly and kept looking over at Regina with a face that asked, 'what do I do?' While Robin may have been a little clueless, Regina wasn't. She carefully crawled into the backseat and sat next to the carrier.

"Shh… it's ok Roland. It's ok. We are almost home, and then you can get out of this seat." She kept speaking softly in an attempt to comfort the child. It took a few minutes, but eventually he settled down.

"How do you do it?" Robin asked in shock.

"I'm not sure. I guess I'm just that charming," she smirked.

"I can definitely agree with that," he smirked back, looking at her through the rearview mirror.

When they arrived at his penthouse, Regina was carrying Roland and Robin carried the bag and playpen. Robin walked into the living room and set the bag and crib down. He opened the bag and got out the notebook paper with Roland's feeding and sleeping schedule.

"Okay, it says here he ate last at 6am, and had a bottle and a jar of fruit, and that he needs to be fed a bottle again at 9:30am, which is in about 10 minutes. Then he'll go down for a morning nap," Robin read.

"If you make the bottle, I'll feed him," Regina smiled.

"Sure, if that's what you want," he smiled back. Regina nodded, so Robin went into the kitchen and opened a cabinet, revealing his stash of baby formula, bottles, and jars of baby food. He pulled out a bottle and the formula. He filled the bottle up to 6oz with water, and then placed 3 scoops of formula in it. He sealed the lid and shook the bottle until it was mixed well.

"Here you go," he said to Regina as he handed her the bottle.

Regina grabbed it and placed it in the baby's mouth. Roland began sucking at it right away. "He's a hungry boy," she played.

"Takes after his father. Neal never stopped eating," he laughed slightly.

Regina walked over to the couch and sat down, propping her elbow on the arm of the couch.

"If you're okay here for a few minutes, I'm gonna go set up the playpen in the spare room," he stated.

"I'm good. You go ahead," she replied.

Robin bent down and kissed the top of her head before walking off with the crib.

A little bit later Robin came back and sat next to Regina, and watched her as she fed Roland. He was really just looking at Regina. He loved how bright her facial expressions were and how sweet she was with his nephew. It was beautiful; a beauty he had not yet been exposed to. Thoughts of a possible future ran through his mind. His heart was filled with excitement and anticipation. He hadn't asked her to marry him; she hadn't said she loved him yet, but somehow he knew they'd get married. He just knew.

Once Roland finished his bottle, Regina handed him over to Robin. Both Regina and Robin stood up. Robin walked to the spare room to lay the boy down, and Regina went to the guest bathroom. When Regina came out of the bathroom she could hear a faint noise coming from the bedroom Roland was in. She walked towards the room. The closer she got the more evident the noise became. When she approached the door, she could hear Robin singing to Roland. She leaned her head against the wall next to the door and listened quietly. Robin was singing, "Goodnight, My Angel" by Celine Dion. Regina was in awe. She couldn't resist walking closer to the door and peeking inside the room to watch him. He was pacing around the room, carefully swaying the child as he sang.

This was it. This was the moment Regina knew. She finally knew how much she loved this man. Before, she doubted her ability to love, and she was scared to admit to herself that she could. But today, at this moment, it was clear to her, and she was no longer afraid of it.

When she saw Robin lay Roland down, she quietly walked to the living room and sat eagerly waiting for Robin. Not long after, he emerged from the room and made his way toward Regina. When he approached her he saw a huge grin in her eyes, but could also see tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"My love, what is it?" he asked worriedly.

She smiled even more, and the tears rolled down her face. She couldn't answer right away.

"Regina, you're confusing me. Why are you crying?" he was sincerely very confused. She was smiling, but crying at the same time.

"They're happy tears," she replied briefly.

"I still don't understand."

"Robin, you are such an incredible man. When I first met you, I wasn't sure what to expect entirely. I kind of pictured you to be this stuck up guy who couldn't care less about women like me, but you proved me wrong so quickly. I tried telling myself I shouldn't bother letting myself even think about you, because I was worried I'd only get hurt. Again, you proved me wrong. You have done anything but hurt me. You've mended my wounds. You've broken down my walls. With you, I feel so free to open up. Nothing worries me when I tell you about my life. You have never ceased to be there for me. You comfort me, support me, protect me, help me… Everything I could ever ask from you, and more, you've done. In my heart, I knew I felt love, but my mind kept telling me to not believe it. The memories of all the pain I've gone through in the past crept back into my mind and kept me from feeling what I knew I felt deep down inside. Seeing you today, with Roland; seeing you be so gentle and so loving, just confirmed what I already knew."

She pauses and Robin smiles. He lifts his hand to her cheek and wipes the tears away. She looks into his eyes intensely. "Robin, I love you so incredibly much," she finally says. "I love every single thing about you, and I want you to finally know that!"

Robin's eyes begin to fill with tears also. He quickly takes her face in his hands and pulls her towards him. He kisses her with all the passion he has within him. Everything he could possibly say to her with his words was expressed even more clearly through that one kiss. As much as either of them hated it, they had to pull away for air.

Robin looked at her lovingly. "Regina Mills, you don't know how overjoyed I am to hear those words come from your mouth." He plants another kiss on her lips. "I love you more than words can describe!"

She kisses him this time. "You are the only man for me, Robin. I love you with every part of me."

 _ **A/N: I just love the whole Roland situation! Don't you? He may not be a big character, but he adds so much to the story. I can't wait for y'all to see what I have planned for his character!**_

 _ **Ok now to the most important fact from this chapter… REGINA SAID "I LOVE YOU!" Yay! I may be the author of this story, but it's still oh so exciting when things like this are revealed!**_

 _ **Robin and Regina have been together for roughly a month now in this story, and I figured it was about time she began to feel more certain about her feelings.**_

 _ **Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter! Comment and let me know what you think!**_

 _ **P.S. Excuse any grammar mistakes. I'm kinda tired, and didn't feel like checking for any errors. I just wanted to get one out tonight since it'll be a while before I can write again. :)**_


	12. Chapter 12

Robin couldn't believe it. Did she really just tell him she was in love with him? It all seemed surreal. He had been imaging this moment since the day he laid eyes on her. The moment where she finally expressed how she felt and finally let him in completely. But today, when she finally did it, was far greater than anything he'd ever pictured in his head.

"And you are the only woman for me, Regina Mills," he grinned from ear to ear and stared into her loving eyes.

Regina blushed and took his hand in hers and interlocked their fingers. It had always felt like a natural move since the first time they held hands, but today, with the newly revealed feelings, an extra wave of spark flooded through both members of this relationship. It was like a spark of reassurance that what they were doing was right. That this relationship was right.

"I love you Robin Locksley! I love you, I love you, I love you!" She couldn't get enough of saying these words to him. She was glowing, and Robin was beaming with delight. The woman he loved, now admitted to loving him back, several times.

Robin laughed lovingly at her repetition. "Regina, hearing those words is music to my ears. And just in case you were wondering, I love you, Regina Mills. I love you, I love you, I love you too!" He mirrored, and Regina smiled wide.

She leaned forward and captured his lips in a passionate kiss. One that felt different than before. Just like the hand holding was different this time, the kissing was different as well. It was a joyous revelation to both Robin and Regina that they were there in this moment together, and it was true.

Their lip-locking was interrupted by loud cries coming from the guest bedroom. Regina instinctively pulled away from Robin and immediately averted her attention to the crying baby.

"Let him cry for a bit, Regina. It'll teach him bad habits if we answer his every call," Robin informed. Regina's eyes went back to Robin. She knew he was right, but her motherly instincts, though she was not yet a mother, made it painful to hear the boy cry.

"What if he needs to be changed? It would be wrong of us to let him sit their in a dirty diaper. We have to at least go check on him," she retorted.

Before he responded, Regina got up from the couch and Robin mirrored her motions. She began walking towards Roland's room, but Robin took her hand in his, pulled her towards him and kissed her. When he pulled away he looked into her eyes.

Regina grinned. "What was that for?"

Robin didn't respond right away. He continued to look into her eyes. He is so mesmerized by her. So captivated by her scent, her looks, how she tasted, but most of all he was taken by her personality, her heart, her huge capacity to love, her care for others, her love for children. Those things, the internal things were what really mattered to Robin. The physical aspects of Regina were just additions. He loved the physical characteristics of her, but they were far outweighed by her inward traits. Things you couldn't see, but could experience.

"Robin? You're staring," Regina pointed out.

Robin shook his head slightly to get out of his trance. "I'm sorry love, I am just so mesmerized by you."

Regina blushed. "And I you," she replied.

Then she took his hand and walked to the guest room where Roland was. When they walked in, Regina let go of Robin and reached into the crib towards the crying baby. "Shhh. It's ok little guy. It's ok. What's the matter? Huh? Do you need a diaper change?" Regina held him close to her as she made her way to the bed. She turned back to Robin. "Can you look in his bag and get me a fresh diaper and some wipes?"

Robin smiled in response. He unzipped the duffle bag and dug through it to find the requested items. Once he located them he stretched his arm towards her and presented the things to her.

Regina took them and placed them on the bed beside Roland. Roland was still screaming his head off. Regina quickly undid his onsie and opened up his diaper. It wasn't bad, but she did notice he had a terrible rash. When she lifted the old diaper off, Roland screamed even harder. Regina was used to seeing rashes like this on babies in her line of work. She had treated countless patients for them. 'Cream,' she thought to herself. She looked next to her at Robin. "Can you look in the bag and see if they brought any sort of rash cream? This little guy has a terrible terrible rash. No wonder the poor thing was screaming."

While Robin moved back to the bag to look for it, Regina cooed the child and tried to comfort him. Robin found a white tube in the bag, but wasn't sure if it was the right thing. He lifted it up to Regina's line of vision. "Is this it?"

Regina glanced down at the tube in Robin's hand. She read the label, 'Baby Magic.' She was familiar with the brand enough to know that was it without reading the label further. "Yup!"

Robin handed it to her and Regina unscrewed the lid and squeezed some onto her finger. She applied it, and Roland kept screaming. "I know baby, it's not fun," she cooed. She finished changing his diaper and then picked him up and cradled him.

It was just about time for him to eat again, so she brought him into the living room and held him while Robin got his food ready.

"Make sure you put the rice in the baby food to thicken it up," she reminded him. It's a good thing she did, because he didn't even think about it. This is the first time Robin's had the baby since Marian started feeding him baby food. So he wasn't familiar with the process yet. He mixed in the appropriate amount of rice and set it on the counter.

He walked into the living room towards Regina. He reached down and lifted Roland out of Regina's arms and rested him on his hip. He carried him and then set him down in his highchair. "Regina could you look in the drawer by the silverware and get out a bib for the little man?"

Regina searched through the kitchen to find the correct drawer. She hadn't yet become familiar with his place, so she didn't know where the silverware drawer was. When she found the right drawer, she reached in and picked out a blue bib that said, 'I love my Uncle.' Regina smiled when she read it, but then walked over to Roland and put it on him.

The rest of the day went rather smoothly. Roland would alternate between sleeping and eating, and Regina and Robin took turns changing diapers in between. During the nap times, Regina and Robin would just cuddle up together on the couch and watch TV. Robin didn't really though, his entertainment was solely in watching Regina. He admired how great she had been with Roland, and he told her that a few times. He let his mind wonder what it would be like if this was their own child. He smiled at the thought of Regina being his wife, and having her children. But then the realization hit him. What if she didn't want kids? What if her miscarriage scared her and she refuses to have children again? He panics on the inside, but he calms himself and reminds himself that all he needs is her. If she grants him children, then that's a plus, but just Regina is enough to make him happy forever.

As reluctant as either of them were to say goodbye, Regina had to leave. She had to work in the morning, and she needed to change clothes and do some paper work before she went to the office in the morning. They said their goodbyes. Regina made sure Robin was set and that Roland was ok. Robin swore he would call her if he needed anything. He kissed her goodnight and they both said, 'I love you.' _

Regina spent the next two days working from 7:30am-5:30pm, and then she'd make her way to Robin's to help with Roland. They went through the same schedule every time she arrived. Robin would feed Roland his nighttime bottle while Regina made dinner for herself and Robin. Roland would be laid down around 6:30pm. The couple would eat dinner and talk about their days and then Regina would leave.

On Wednesday, Regina showed up at Robin's after work around 6pm. When Regina was making dinner, and after Robin had laid Roland down, his phone rang. He lifted it out of his pocket and answered it.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Robin!" It was his father. He sounded urgent, but also heartbroken.

"Dad, what's wrong?" he asked worriedly. Regina could hear Robin talking and she too got worried by the tone in Robin's voice. She turned the stove off and came toward him.

"Robin... she's not doing good," he said softly.

"Wh-what? Marian?" he knew his father was talking about Marian, but he just didn't want to believe it. "What's wrong?"

"She's declining fast, Robin. The doctor's don't expect her to make it to the end of the week," Andrew's voice cracked.

"No. No no no no," he didn't know what else to think "Wha-what about Roland? He's too young to lose one parent, let alone both!"

Regina now knew what was happening. She felt her heart sink within her chest. She moved closer to Robin and wrapped her arms around him and held onto him tightly. Robin looked down at her while still on the phone.

"You need to get up here soon. Bring Roland. Marian needs to see him," Andrew stated.

Robin's mouth gaped open, and he brought his hand to cover it. "I- uh- I guess I'll book the next flight out of here," Robin said.

"Get here as quick as you can Robin. Look, I need to go. You're mother isn't taking this well. I need to be with her," Andrew said quickly.

Robin could feel tears forming in his eyes but he blinked them away. "Okay. I'm on the next flight out," Robin answered and then hung up. He looked down at Regina who was staring into his eyes lovingly. Through all of this sadness, he felt a glimpse of hope through her eyes.

"Come with me," he said quietly.

"To get Roland?" she asked.

"No, to Chicago."

Regina dropped her gaze from him and looked at the floor. "Robin..." she said quietly.

"Please just come with me. I need you with me," he added.

"Robin I can't just miss a whole week of work, especially on such short notice. My patients need me," she replied.

"But I need you. Me. Your boyfriend. You are my anchor, and I need you." His voice cracked.

She pulled her arms away. "I can't just leave these sick kids. I'm the only doctor who works in my office. These kids can't be left untreated for a whole week."

Robin sighed. He knew she was right. But he wish she was wrong. He wishes she could just drop everything and be with him. He felt selfish for thinking that, but he couldn't help it. He pulled her back into his embrace. "I know. I just wish you could be with me."

"I know babe." She hugged him tight and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I love you, and I'm here for you. Just a phone call away."

"I love you too."

"You go get yourself ready. I'll take care of Roland," Regina kissed him on the lips and hugged him one last time before they parted ways.

When Robin was packed, and Roland was ready, Regina offered to take them to the airport. She drove them there and walked with them to the security gate. She hugged Robin.

"Please call me when your plane lands. And keep me updated," she pleaded.

"I will," he said weakly. He leaned down and kissed her lips. The kiss lingered for a bit, but Regina pushed him back.

"You need to go. You're plane leaves soon."

"I know. I just need to hold you for a few more seconds. I need to have a few more seconds of happiness before I enter a world of sorrow and grief and pain." He kissed her head, and she hugged him.

"I love you babe," she said sweetly.

"I love you too," he replied.

Seconds later, Regina watched as her man and his nephew entered the security line. She stood there until she couldn't see them anymore. A tear flowed down her cheek. She felt bad for not going with him, but she knew she had to stay. She slowly made her way back to her car, and then she drove home and immediately went to her bed and laid down. It took a while, but eventually she got a call from Robin.

She picked up the phone quickly, "Hey babe," she said softly.

"Hey. We made it safely to Chicago. My dad just picked us up,"

"Okay. Well keep me updated when you can, but don't stress over it if you can't. I know this is a stressful time, and I know you need to spend it with family. But just know I'm here for you if you need to talk," she said.

"I appreciate that. And I'll do my best to call you when I'm free. I wish you were here," he frowned.

"I know..." she trailed. "I'm sorry," she said sadly.

"Don't apologize. You're helping kids. How could I be upset about that?"

There was silence for a few moments. Neither knew what to say, but they found it more peaceful and comforting just to know the other was there for them, and they could hear each other breath and know they were okay.

"Well I need to go. We are pulling up to the hospital," Robin informed.

"Okay. Well I'll let you go. I love you Robin," she said sweetly.

"I love you too Regina," he replied.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight my love," Robin said.

Regina hung up the phone and laid it on her nightstand. She rolled over onto her side and closed her eyes. Now that she knew they were safe, she was able to drift into sleep. It was a restless sleep, but sleep nonetheless.


	13. Chapter 13

Robin walked into the hospital not long after hanging up with Regina. He held Roland's carrier in one hand as he walked with his father to the room Marian was in. When he walked in, he saw his sister was hooked up to several machines, a few of which beeped occasionally, leaving it impossible to forget they are there. Marian was thrilled to finally see her brother and her baby boy. Robin's piercing blue eyes were now clouded by tears. Never in his life would he have imagined his sister becoming ill with cancer, and definitely not dying from it at such a young age. His baby sister isn't supposed to die before him. That's not how life should work; or so people dream. No matter what he had previously imagined or not imagined, the circumstances were real; they were happening, and there was nothing he or anyone else could do to stop it.

He walked up to Marian's hospital bed and set Roland's carrier in the chair beside the bed. He grabbed her hand and smiled at her- tears slowly beginning to fall from his eyes.

"Hey- don't cry. I can't stand seeing my big brother crying," she said softly- her voice raspy with restlessness and weakness.

That only made more tears flow down his face. "I love you lil' sis. Always have, and always will."

"I know you do. And I love you too Robin. You are the best big brother a girl could ask for," Marian smiled faintly. She turned her head to face her parents. "Mom, dad, could you give us a minute please?"

Andrew and Kristin walked out of the hospital room with Roland, leaving Marian and Robin alone in the room. Robin sat in the chair that had previously held Roland's carrier. He looked at her curiously, "What is it Marian?"

"Robin… as I'm sure you're aware, I'm not gonna make it to the end of the weak," she started quietly, trying to avoid eye contact to make this conversation less difficult; though it was all to be in vain, because this was the hardest thing Marian would ever have to speak about.

Robin, unable to form words, bobbed his head back and forth once in affirmation.

"And I'm also sure you understand what that means for Roland- he won't have me anymore. I need someone I love and trust to take him- to raise him and love him and be with him," her voice broke, and she couldn't finish her thought. The pain she felt physically wasn't anything compared to the pain she felt emotionally. The pain of knowing she's leaving her precious newborn son parentless; The pain of knowing that this child has already lost his father and is about to lose his mother. How was she supposed to speak about it, and verbally ask someone to take her child and be a parent to him without feeling excruciating pain?

Robin took her hand again and forced her to look at him. "Marian, ar-are you asking me to-to take Roland?" He couldn't fathom the thought. It killed him. Of course, he'd do anything to make sure his nephew was safe and was raised well, and he'd do it for his sister, but it just reminded him of how real this situation is.

"Please Robin! I need you to do this. You are the only person I know of that is qualified to take care of my son. You are so good with him, and he adores you. You have spent our whole lives protecting me and being that source of accountability, so I know you're wise, and I know you would make wise parental decisions. You're capacity to love people is overwhelming. The way I've heard you speak about Regina, and the things dad has told me about your relationship with her, shows me just how caring and gentle you are. I couldn't think of anyone better to ask to watch over my son for me than you. So please, Robin, do this for me. Adopt Roland and be his father," she pleads with him.

Robin is close to sobbing at this point. He opens his mouth to answer, but he can't form words. He takes a few seconds to calm himself down so he can answer her. She deserves an answer.

"Of course," he smiles. He wants to do this for his sister. He NEEDS to do this for her. The fear and anxiety of becoming a father to this young child was way overridden by his desire to give him the best life possible, despite the challenges he's faced in his infancy.

"Thank you," Marian whispered, and then she began to cough violently.

Robin's eyes widened and frantically stood up. "What's happening? Are you okay?"

"I-I'm" cough "fine" cough, she said. "Water, please!" Marian lifted her arm and pointed across the room at the pitcher of water.

Robin swiftly made his way there and filled a Styrofoam cup with water, put a straw in it, and brought it back to her. He stretched the straw to her mouth, and she took it between her lips and sipped. She sighed in relief as soon as the water traveled through her throat and to her chest, soothing the burning sensation. She leaned back against her pillow and shut her eyes without saying a word. She was exhausted. Everything within her felt weak. She could hardly stay awake for more than 30 minutes. She was asleep more throughout the day than she was awake.

Eventually, Robin noticed she was asleep and he slipped outside to get his parents. They all came back in the room and sat silently, watching, waiting for something to go wrong, and for all of their hearts to be crushed.

About 2 days went by since Robin first arrived in Chicago. The second day he was there, Marian had begged him to ask Regina to come to Chicago. Not only did she want to meet her because she'd likely be Robin's wife, but as a result, she'd be Roland's new mother. Robin tried to explain Regina's busy work schedule, but in the end Marian's desire won over, and Robin agreed to call her.

He woke up early on that Friday morning, at around 5:30am. He decided he'd call Regina. When it was 5:30am in Chicago, it was 6:30am in New York City, and Regina almost always got up before then. So he dialed her number and waited patiently for her to pick up.

"Hello?" he heard an oh so familiar voice say.

"Hey babe," he answered briefly.

"What's wrong? Is Marian doing ok?" she asked worriedly.

"Yeah- I mean, no. I don't know," he paused and took a deep breath. "She's deteriorating faster. The doctors are only giving her a few more days. When I first arrived she could speak, but now she can barely say anything," he sighed heavily, bracing himself for what he was about to ask Regina.

"Robin… I'm so sorry," she said with loving sympathy. "What can I do?"

He hesitated for a moment, but knew he had to ask, "Marian… she asked me if you would consider coming to Chicago."

"Me? Why?" she asked in confusion.

"Regina, she asked me to adopt Roland, for me to become his father. And she knows how serious you and I are. At this point in time, you are the closest thing Roland will have to a mother when she's gone, and it's likely you will become his mother someday, if our relationship escalates to that point, and if you agree. She wants to meet you. She wants to talk to you and thank you personally," he finally let out.

Regina couldn't believe what she had just heard. It took her a while to process what he said. Robin will be Roland's new dad. He basically admitted he wanted her to marry him, and if she does, she's gonna be Roland's mother. She didn't know how to respond or react. The only thing that came to mind was, "Wow." She scrambled for more thoughts. "Um… when would I need to be there by?" She decided it was best to avoid the topic of Roland and stick to the main point.

"Well she only has a few days… and she's getting worse with each passing day. So if you're coming, you need to come soon," Robin replied.

"Uh… Yes. I-I'll come. I need to call Belle and tell her to send my patients a notification today, and I'll be on my way as soon as I can," she said nervously.

"Thank you Regina. Thank you."

"I'll see you soon. I love you. Be strong, okay?" Regina stated

"I'll try. And I love you too. Goodbye," Robin ended the conversation and pressed the 'end' button.

Regina did as she said. She contacted Belle and had her patients notified of her absence, and she booked a flight for 9am. She made it to the airport at 8am, went through security and boarded the plan all within the next hour.

When she landed in Chicago, Robin was waiting for her outside the security gate. As soon as he saw her, Robin ran to her and clang to her as if his life depended on it. Well, to Robin, his life did depend on her. He held her tight and relished in the moment- taking in everything about her. He smelled the luscious scent of her organic coconut scented shampoo that emitted from her long charcoal-colored hair. He savored the warmth which radiated from her slender body. Then he pulled away and brought his lips to meet hers. He treasured the way she tasted, and the feeling of peace, comfort, and calmness she provided him with through her touch.

Regina pulled back and stared into his eyes. Dark brown orbs meeting bright blue. She could feel his body trembling. She could sense his pain. She sent him a small smile, before she spoke. "It's okay, my love. I'm here. I'm here for you, and with you."

Robin responded by kissing her once more before they headed to baggage claim to get her things.

They then made their way to the car and straight to the hospital. On the way there, Robin warned Regina of Marian's condition. He told her what to expect to see when she walks in the room. Regina wasn't shocked by anything he said. She knew things like this happened, and knew generally, based on her medical schooling, what took place in situations like this.

When they finally arrived, the couple walked to the hospital room Marian was in, and when they arrived Regina's eyes widened. Sure she prepared herself and understood how Marian would be, but seeing it was much different, and much more painful, even for her. Robin put his hand on the small of her back and gently urged her to walk further into the room. He walked towards his parents before they acknowledge Marian. Marian was now close to being comatose. She couldn't fully process what people were saying, and she couldn't speak.

"Dad, you remember Regina?" Robin asked.

"Yes, of course I do," Andrew replied somewhat enthusiastically. "It's nice to see you again milady."

"You too, Mr. Locksley," she replied.

"Oh please- call me Andrew," he commented kindly.

Regina smiled.

Robin turned to face his mother. "Regina, this is my mother, Kristin," he introduced. "Mom, this is the woman I've been telling you so much about."

Kristin smiled so big. "So you're the woman who's been making my boy so happy. It's a great honor to finally meet you my dear. I'm sorry it's under such solemn circumstance."

"I'm glad to finally meet you as well. And please, no need to apologize. I'm so sorry for what you're all going through," Regina responded softly.

"It means a lot, especially to Marian, that you came," Kristin said.

"I would never turn down a request like this," Regina retorted.

Then Robin brought Regina over to Marian's bedside. "Marian, Regina's here to see you," he said softly. "She came as soon as you asked me to call her." He reached for Marian's hand and held onto it. "Now I know you had something you wanted to talk to her about, and you wrote a letter for her. Would you like me to read it to her? Just squeeze my hand if you understand me." Robin waited a few moments. He began thinking she wasn't able to comprehend what he said, but he was wrong. He felt the slightest grip on his hand, and it made the whole room smile. It wasn't much, and they knew it wasn't anything that would last, but it was still nice. "Ok. I'll read it to her." He looks on the nightstand and grabs the letter. Marian knew her time was running out, and she didn't know whether Regina would be able to come or not, nor did she know when she'd come if she was able to. So she took what could've been her last sane opportunity to write this for Regina.

Robin looked at Regina and smiled at her before reading.

"Dear Regina,

We've never really met, and if you're reading this letter it must been we've never talked to one another. But I have heard so much about you. Between my parents and my brother, I've learned so much about you, and I've fallen in love. You seem like such a genuine, loving, and hard working woman. I just know you are perfect for my brother. Without even meeting you, I am positive you and my brother are meant to be together."

Robin began to get choked up, as did Regina and Robin's parents, but he continued.

"Now, I'm not sure how much Robin has told you about my plans for Roland, but I want to speak about that now. I've asked Robin to take custody of Roland and raise him as his own after I die, and he has agreed. With that being said, and with the understanding that you and my brother spend quite a bit of time together, I can only assume you'll be around my- his son a lot as well. I want you to know I trust you. I may not know you personally, but I know enough about you to know I trust you. Not only does your job indicated you're worthy to be trusted, but hearing how you were with Roland this past weekend, I'm certain you know what you're doing. Now in the case that you and Robin married (I hope to God you do :D), you will become Roland's new mother. The thought of you two parenting my child together comforts me. Through this struggle I've been going through, I haven't been at peace with much, but this fact- you being my child's mother- makes me feel peaceful. So when I pass, and if you marry my brother (Again, please marry him; maybe not now, but eventually.), know that I support you adopting my son as well; being his mother. I truly do love you. Take care of my brother for me."

And the letter ended. There was not a dry eye in the room. Marian's words touched everyone, especially Regina. Robin came up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, and Regina placed hers around his neck, and rested her head in the crook of his neck.


	14. Chapter 14

After Marian's passing, the family left the hospital and went back to Kristin and Andrew's home. Regina stayed in a guest room there and did much of the caring for Roland while the family mourned over their loss. She offered to help Kristin organize the details of the funeral, and Kristin gladly accepted the help. The family had already taken care of most of the details previously, for they knew this day would come and they knew it was better to take care of them in advance than to wait until the day Marian died. Regina called the funeral home to inform them of Marian's passing and to schedule the funeral for that Friday.

The family was still in shock. Throughout Marian's entire illness, the family tried to prepare themselves for what they knew would come; nonetheless, nothing could've prepared them enough to face the death of someone so close.

Regina struggled within her own head as she watched the family grieve. Memories of her parents and their death flooded her mind and she couldn't get them out. Every night, when she was alone, she let her emotions go. She knew if she kept them bottled up, they'd eventually come bursting out at some point. So at night, she let herself drain the tears she was holding back that way she'd be less likely to cry in front of the family the next day. She needed to be strong for them, especially Robin. Robin had been her rock these past two months, and now it was her turn to return the favor.

The funeral was held at 1pm on Friday afternoon. The family was on edge and could barely fathom that they were about to bury Marian. They all piled into a limo and drove to the cemetery, with the casket in the car preceding them. Regina held onto Robin's hand and gave it gentle, reassuring squeezes here and there with a loving smile to go along with it. Though they were small gestures, and though it was an extremely tough day for him, Robin was grateful for Regina's actions. At times he'd give her a small grin in response, but very soon after, his face contorted into a frown again. Grief and pain evident in his features and in his body language.

When the limo reached its destination, the family filed out slowly and stood staring into the distance. Kristin held Roland in one arm, and clang onto Andrew with her other arm. Tears streamed down both of their faces. Robin had his arm around Regina's waist, and Regina wrapped both of hers around him, holding him closely to her. Her head buried in his neck as she breathed him in.

After a few seconds, Regina felt something wet drip onto her forehead. She tilted her head to see Robin's face scrunched up as if he was trying to force himself to stop crying, but failing horribly. She brought her hand to his cheek and softly wiped the tear drops away. She kissed his jaw and then his lips. When she pulled away, she saw his eyes. They looked as if they had been glazed over. Robin was so out of it, and so grieved that he couldn't even function. Regina moved so she was standing in front of him, still close, but now facing him instead being off to his side.

She stood on her toes and brought her hands to his face.

"Robin," she whispered. She got no reply. "Robin, look at me." Still no reply. "Robin look into my eyes. Look at me," she repeated. Finally she saw his eyes blink and shift to meet hers.

Piercing blue eyes were now staring into chocolate brown. Where before Robin was staring out into the cemetery, now he is staring into the eyes of his one true love. Both parties mesmerized by the other; completely captivated by each other, forgetting the circumstances of the day and the heartache that it brings.

"We'll get through this; together," she encouraged him.

"How can I be sure of that when right now? My heart feels like it's gone. I feel like I can't live or breathe or do anything," he cried.

She grabbed his hand and placed it over her heart. "Well if yours isn't functioning, use mine. Use my heart for the both of us. Live and breathe through me, with me," Regina replied.

Robin didn't smile, he couldn't get his mouth to form one, but deep within he was smiling. Regina always has a way with words. She knows how to encourage him, even if he doesn't realize he's being encouraged at the time. He leaned down and kissed her ever so softly before the reverend gestured for the family to make their way to the funeral ceremony.

Before they made their way there, Regina walked to Kristin and offered to hold Roland for her. Kristin was hesitant at first, because she wanted to hold onto her grandson and couldn't get herself to let go, but Andrew encouraged her to let Regina take the boy. So eventually, Kristin handed Roland over into Regina's arms. Regina walked back to Robin and held his hand in her free one. The family walked to the cemetery plot where Marian was to be buried. They sat down in a line of chairs that were lined up in front of the casket; Kristin next to Andrew, Robin next to Kristin, and Regina next to Robin with little Roland in her arms blissfully unaware of the event taking place.

The reverend began, "We are gathered here today, not to mourn the death of Marian, but to celebrate her life. We are here to remember her and rejoice in the time we had with her. Marian was a sweet young woman. I've known her since she was very little. I remember her when she was about 7 year's old, singing in the little kids' choir down at the church. She was the most precious sight to behold. Her face so radiant and her voice so beautiful. And I remember years down the road, marrying her and her beloved husband. And shortly thereafter, baptizing their precious son, Roland. Its memories like these that we shall never forget. Memories like these that we should hold in our hearts forever.

Yes, I admit, today is a tragic day. Today is the day we have dreaded for the past few months, and the reality we eagerly tried to ignore as time went on. Nothing I can say can take that pain away. However, if we strive to remember the positives of Marian's life today, we will find ourselves feeling uplifted. So let's do that. Marian wouldn't want us to mourn her death; she'd want us to celebrate her life. She'd want us to smile and not cry. So let's give her that. Let's bless her in that way."

After the reverend spoke, songs were sung and other friends and family gave touching speeches. A slideshow of pictures was displayed on a small TV, causing the family to weep and even laugh at times as they reminisced the memories that were being shown.

When the slideshow ended, the family stood from their chairs as Marian's casket was lowered into the ground. Robin held onto Regina and brought her into a hug. He held her closely, careful not to hurt Roland, and buried his face in her neck. Kristin did the same to Andrew. The family stood there for a while, but eventually got back in the car and were driven home.

When they got home, no one spoke. No one even ate. They all went into their respective rooms and stayed there the rest of the night.

Regina however, made Roland a bottle and fed him. When he finished eating, she burped him and changed his diaper and put on his pajamas. It wasn't night time, but it was his nap time. So she walked to the small nursery the Locksley's had made for him, and laid him down in his crib. The poor boy must've been exhausted, because he didn't cry at all. His eyes closed shut immediately. Regina leaned down and kissed his soft head.

"Goodnight little man. Sleep tight," she cooed.

She walked out of the nursery and into Robin's room. He was sitting straight up on the edge of the bed. His eyes were once again glazed over and he was motionless.

Regina walked over and knelt in front of him, placing her hands on his knees. But as soon as she did, Robin flinched and moved her hands off his legs. Regina's face contorted in confusion. He has never denied her attempts to comfort him before. He has never shoved her away. If anything, he's always pulled her closer. She attempted it one more time. She lifted her hands and tried to hold onto his, but before she could Robin stood up and walked to the bathroom and locked the door.

As soon as he shut the door, Robin slid down onto the floor and put his head in his hands. He felt numb. He couldn't cry, or speak, or move. Aside from the fact that he was breathing and his heart was beating, he was essentially lifeless.

"Robin?" he heard a soft voice beckon. "Robin are you ok?" she asked. Regina was sitting on the floor outside the bathroom with her ear pressed against the door.

He couldn't get himself to speak. His heart was telling him to respond, but his mind was stopping him.

"Robin, I know this isn't easy. I know what you're feeling," she paused and took a deep breath. "I understand how confusing all these emotions that are running through your body and mind are. You feel angry, bitter, sad, regretful, distraught, hopeless..." she trailed. "But most of all you feel numb. You've let yourself cry so much and feel the pain so much that your body is no numb to it all. You can't think, you can't move, you can't do anything."

Robin lifted his head from his hands and rested it against the door. He could hear her speaking, but was unable to respond. Any attempt he gave to speak failed.

"I learned this feeling at a very young age, and I'll never forget it," she sighed. "But you know what I'll also never forget?" she paused. "Coming out of it. When I finally reached a point where I could feel again and I could live again, I realized something. I realized that I came out of all of that as a stronger person. As hard as it is to think, and seemingly horrible to say, my parents death made me a stronger, more responsible person. Without it, who knows if I'd be the person I am today."

Tears were now streaming down not only her face, but Robin's as well.

"And you know what? You'll come out of this stronger too. You will realize at some point that you are a better person because of this. And whether you realize it or not right now, you are a father. You are a father to a beautiful baby boy who needs you as much as you need him. If you have nothing else to live for, live for him. Be strong for your son."

When she stopped speaking she waited a moment to see if he'd respond somehow, but he didn't; not in a way she could see anyway. She slowly stood up from the ground and walked out of the bedroom. She knew he needed space. She has been where he is. He needs time to process everything before he can engage in conversation and interact with others.

Robin spent most of the rest of the day in his bathroom or his bedroom. He didn't want to come out. He couldn't face people right now. So he stayed to himself.

Kristin and Andrew, on the other hand came out of their room. Regina told Kristin she'd make dinner for everyone and encouraged her to just sit down and relax. Kristin tried to get Regina to let her help, but Regina was insistent.

Regina made spaghetti for the family. She made plates for herself, Robin and his parents. After placing Kristin and Andrew's plates on the dining table, Regina brought a cup of water and a plate of spaghetti to Robin's room.

Without saying anything, she laid it on his nightstand, leaned over to kiss his forehead, and walked back out to the dining room. Her and Robin's parents sat relatively quiet at the table and ate their meal.

When everyone finished, Kristin and Andrew insisted on helping to clean up, and Regina let them. They worked together to clean dishes and wipe the table. After they were done, Kristin brought Regina in for an unexpected hug. She wrapped both of her arms around Regina and hugged her tight.

"Thank you, Regina," she said weakly.

Regina smiled and held onto Kristin. "No need to thank me. I'm doing this because I want to. I know what it's like losing a family member. I know it all too well. It's the least I could do to help you all during this time," Regina replied.

Kristin pulled back and smiled. "You really are a wonderful woman. Robin is a lucky man to have found you," she said sweetly.

Regina smiled and moved over to hug Andrew. "Well you raised an incredible man. I'll forever be grateful for that."

After their encounter, Regina walked to the nursery to get Roland. She fed him another bottle, and shortly after, she fed him a small jar of peas. When he was done eating, she brought him back to his crib and put him to bed. Again, the boy didn't make a sound when he was laid down. Regina kissed his head before leaving.

She then walked back to Robin's room. He was now lying down on the bed, leaning up on his left side, facing the door. Regina quietly walked in and picked up his empty plate. She smiled when she saw it, because she was thrilled that he actually ate. When she went through the loss of her parents she hardly ate, and she reaped the consequences of that. So she was glad to see Robin wasn't doing that. She began to walk away but then she heard him.

"Stay," he said faintly, almost too quiet for anyone to hear.

Regina turned around to face him with her eyes wide. "What?" she heard him speak but didn't quite catch what he said.

"Stay," he repeated slightly louder.

Regina smiled and walked back over. She set the plate back down on the nightstand. She felt Robin's hand on her arm pulling her to him. She took that as a plea for her to lay with him. So she crawled into bed and laid beside him. Robin wrapped his arms around her tiny waist, and Regina wrapped hers around his waist as well.

They were pressed close together, Regina able to feel every muscle in his toned chest. She pressed her head into the crook of his neck. They laid their motionless and speechless; neither of them feeling the need to speak. Robin just couldn't get himself to talk, and Regina not wanting to force him to speak.

They lay there, in the arms of their beloved. Nothing else was needed in that moment. Comfort and peace filled their bodies, and for the first time in several days, Robin felt calm. He was at home being with her, the one he loves, as was Regina with him. They lay there the rest of the night; both eventually drifting off to a dreamless, motionless sleep while being warmed and comforted by the touch of the other.


	15. Chapter 15

Two days later...

Regina, Robin, and Roland had gone back to New York the day after the funeral. The Locksley's thought it was easiest to just get back to normal life as quick as possible instead of dragging out the mourning process. Sure there would still be a mourning period, but it would be easier to handle with something like wok to preoccupy your mind/time. When they got back to New York, Regina helped Robin unpack all of Roland's things. She stayed with him both nights since their return, fearful of leaving Robin alone. Robin remained relatively quiet and too himself during those two days. Regina willingly took on the task of caring for Roland, and let Robin just stay to himself and take the time he needed. The only time she ever felt any sort of communication from Robin was at night, when she slept by his side and he curled her closer to his body, telling her (without words) that he needed her- he needed her as close as possible.

Today was different though...Robin didn't hide away in his room this time, he wasn't mournful (at least not outwardly). He woke up, saw Regina next to him, and something within him just told him everything was okay. That he would be fine, as long as he had Regina by his side. That thought then led to another thought... he has no guarantee that she'd stay with him forever. She could leave at any moment and forget about him. Did he think she'd actually do that? No, of course not. He knows her, and knows the love they share. But still... he wanted something to solidify their commitment. He needed something to confirm they'd be together.

'Marriage,' he thought. Of course. Getting married was the next logical step in their relationship. Well, technically engagement was, but that led to marriage, which was the ultimate goal. He lay there quietly, as Regina slept peacefully, brainstorming ideas of how to propose, and what he needed to do to prepare for that day. After only about 20 minutes of thinking, he came up with the perfect plan- one he knew she'd love. Now he just needed a ring. Once he got the ring, he wasn't gonna waste any time. He planned to propose as soon as he possibly good. Why wait when you know?

About 10 minutes later Regina's eyes fluttered open. Robin smiled as he saw his sleeping beauty begin to stir. Robin propped himself up on his elbow and leaned over to kiss Regina. Before their lips met, his face hovered over hers, eyes roaming around the shape of her face, admiring her beautiful features. Then his eyes met her lips. Immediately after, he pressed his lips to hers. When he pulled away, she looked at him with a smile. She didn't expect to see him like this. To see him smiling and seemingly happy.

"Well good morning to you too," she grinned. She placed her hand on his cheek and stroked it softly. "You seem awfully happy this morning," she commented.

He just smiled and placed his hand on top of the one she had on his face. "It's always a good morning when I wake up next to you."

Regina blushed. "I guess I could say the same about you," she joked.

"You guess?" he asked playfully with his mouth opened as if he was offended. "I thought you loved me."

She pretended to think for a moment. "Yeah, I do," she smirked. She wanted to ask him what was making him so happy, but she didn't want to upset him. She reached her lips up to his again. She captured them in a short, but passionate kiss. When she pulled away, they both heard a soft cry in the distance. They rested their foreheads on each others for a second before getting up. They both slid out of the bed and walked together to Roland's room. As they were walking Regina decided to suggest something.

"What do you think about re-decorating the guest room into Roland's nursery? I mean that is where he will be sleeping, and I just think we should make it a little more child friendly," she smiled.

Robin considered her idea for a second before responding. "That sounds lovely, but I'm not sure how to decorate a nursery..." he trailed.

Regina giggled. "That's what I'm here for. Every decorating job needs a woman's touch... even if the man knows how to decorate," she smirked.

Robin smiled back at her. "What would I do without you?"

Regina laughed.

The two adults entered into the bedroom where the crying child was. Regina walked up to the playpen (they hadn't yet purchased an actual crib). "Oh my doodness," she said in a baby voice. "What's the matter little guy?" She reached in and picked Roland up. "Huh? What's wrong?" She kissed his cheek. "Did you just want some attention? Is that it? Did you want daddy and Gina to come get you out of here?"

As she talked Robin couldn't help but smile. This woman, this gorgeous, loving, caring, smart, amazing woman was his, and she was holding a child, which thanks to Regina's reminder just now, who he was now the father of. He loved watching her speak to children, especially babies. Watching her hold Roland in her arms, watching her talk to him so sweetly and adorably made him want to propose right this moment and officially make her his. His heart was so overwhelmed with love for her, and waiting to get a ring killed him, but it would be worth it in the end.

Roland finally calmed down and Regina wiped the remaining tears off the baby's face. "You want to see da-da? Go see him." She stretched out her arms and passed the child over to Robin. "Here you go daddy," she smiled at him. Robin's face lit up. Roland was his. He was a father now, as strange as it was, and as heartbreaking the circumstances were, he was still overflowing with joy and excitement for this new phase in his life. He'd always wanted to be a father. This may not have happened in the way he had always planned, but it was still wonderful.

Robin smiled and kissed the boy on the cheek. "Hey buddy! You hungry? Shall we get some food in your tummy?" Robin looked up at Regina, who was smiling at him. "Gina, could you go make a bottle for our little man?"

Regina's heart skipped a beat. 'Did he just say "our" little man?' She asked herself. Hearing that word made her very excited, but also very nervous. She's never been a mother. Sure she works with kids for a living, but that's far different than actually raising one. The closest she ever got to being a mother is a memory she hates to think about.

Robin had stood there for a good minute waiting for her to respond, but she was so caught of guard by his choice of words that she got distracted by her own thoughts. "Ahem- babe? Is everything ok?" Robin interjected.

Regina blinked her eyes a few times. "Wh-what?" She thought about it for a second. "Oh-uh-bottle. Yes. I'm on it." She quickly turned around and speed walked to the kitchen. She knew Robin was going to ask about it later on, but she just wanted to avoid the conversation for right now.

While Regina made the bottle, Robin changed Roland's diaper, and put a new outfit on him. When he finished, he cradled the boy in his arms and walked to Regina. When she saw him walk in the kitchen, she picked up the bottle and quickly handing it to him- hoping to distract him from asking about what she was thinking about earlier. But her attempt was in vain, because he wasn't gonna let her shyness stop him from asking.

Robin took the bottle and carefully guided it to Roland's mouth, then brought his attention back to Regina's face, which was purposefully faced away from Robin. "So are you gonna answer my question?"

Regina slowly turned her head toward him. "Uh what question?" she asked though she knew very well which one.

"Well I asked you if everything was okay earlier. You totally zoned out after I asked you to make Roland's bottle," Robin informed.

"Oh-uh- it was nothing. I'm just tired still I guess," she prayed that was enough to convince him.

He shook his head. "No, no. I know you're lying Regina. Do you really think I can't tell by now when you're lying?" He paused. "Tell me, Regina."

Regina nervously began playing with her fingers, and stared intensely at them while trying to think of what to say. She sighed as she finally decided to give in. She knew he'd get it out of her eventually. "Well- um- when you asked me to make the bottle you said, 'our little man.'"

Robin grinned. "Indeed I did. Is that a problem?" He was enjoying this conversation. When he said the phrase in question, it came out naturally. He honestly didn't even have to think about it before you spoke it.

Regina brought her eyes to meet his. She slowly shook her head back and forth. "No. I guess not. But Robin he isn't my son. I'm just your girlfriend who's helping you take care of him during a hard time."

Robin chuckled loving. "Oh Regina. You are so much more than just a girlfriend helping me take care of Roland. Do you not realize that this thing we have together isn't just some cute little boyfriend-girlfriend relationship?"

Regina nodded innocently.

"We are in love. Everything we do is done out of love for one another. The passion we share in this relationship is beyond anything I've ever seen or experienced. The care you show me, and hopefully I show you is so strong and so genuine. The sparks I feel when we kiss. The butterflies I get in my stomach when I see you or hear your name. All of those things are proof to me that this is way more than an ordinary girlfriend-boyfriend situation. We are soulmates. We are meant to be together, and I've known that since the moment I first laid eyes on you," Robin's speech came to an end, and he saw Regina thinking still. "Regina, what is it?"

"Robin, those words are beautiful, and they make me love you even more. But that still doesn't take away the fact that Roland isn't mine. He is yours now, legally, but he's not mine," she said quietly.

"But that doesn't mean he will never be yours," he said briefly, not sure if the waters he was entering were going to be smooth or rocky.

Regina's eyes widened. "Robin..." she began hesitantly.

"Regina, I know this may be a topic you aren't ready for, but I just need you to know my intentions. I don't just see you as some temporary partner who I'll throw out when I don't need you anymore. You are the ONLY woman I will ever need or ever want for the rest of my life. I love you, and I want to be with you forever. I'm not asking you now. I want you to seriously think about it, and contemplate what you want and what your heart tells you to do. I just wanted you to hear my intentions now."

Regina walked over to him, cradled his face in her palms, tears on her cheeks. "Thank you," she said softly. He knew her so well. He knew she needed to be warned before she was proposed to. She obviously knows how she feels about him, but with this new addition to Robin's life, it's a lot to take in all at one time. It's something she wants to prepare herself for. She doesn't want him to catch her off guard one day and bend down on one knee and pop the question, because then she'd feel more inclined to just say 'yes' because that's what she's supposed to do. She wants her answer to be genuine and fully thought through.

She leaned in and captured his lip in a slow, soft, loving kiss. When she pulled away, she leaned her head on his and they both looked down at the baby blissfully drinking his milk. They both smiled, and then Robin's eyes drifted up to Regina's. He could tell how she truly felt just based on her response to him, and in the way she's lighting up around Roland. He was confident in what her answer will be when he asks her to be his wife.

The two spent the rest of the day together, taking care of 'their little man.' They truly seemed like they were married already and that Roland was truly their child. The way they talked to each other, the way they worked together to care for the child. The conversations they had were more centered around married couple's or a parents' kinds of topics. And all of this happened so naturally.

The whole rest of the day, Robin contemplated what kind of ring Regina would like. He knew she wasn't picky, which is why he didn't ever feel the need to ask her. He wants this to be a surprise, but he also wants to chose a ring that is most like Regina. Something that is elegant, classy, and bold. He doesn't want a cheap ring, because in his mind, Regina deserves the world, and so he will make sure she gets the best ring out there, no matter the cost. He had decided in his mind what kind of ring he wanted to get her. He wasn't very educated in this area, but he knew a cushion cut was the general diamond shape he wanted to get her. He wanted it to be big, but not too big. He was over the moon excited to go looking for the perfect ring for his perfect girl.

That night, when it was Roland's bedtime, the couple walked to his room together. Regina had the boy cradled in her arm, and Robin had his hand intertwined with her free one. When they got to the room, Regina sat on the edge of the bed and Robin followed suit. Regina swayed back and forth and tried to get Roland to fall asleep.

 _Sun is creeping down, behind the hill. Everything is calm, everything is still._

Regina smiled when she heard her man sing so softly to Roland. She even felt tears in her eyes as she listened.

 _So baby close your eyes, and rest your weary mind. Let me hold you close. I'll sing you this lullaby._

Robin stopped for a moment and looked over at Roland. Roland was fighting sleep. His eyes were closed but he was moving a lot in Regina's arms. "Try laying him down, and then I'll sing some more," he suggested.

Regina immediately stood up and did as Robin suggested. When the boy was laid in the playpen, Regina turned to Robin and smirked. "Please continue. It sounded so beautiful."

Robin grinned and reached for her hand. When she took it, he led them over to the bed and they sat down before he began singing again.

 _Let your worries go. You fall asleep. Think of nothing more. Memories will keep. Your dreams will turn to gold, and you will wake and find that you'll hold a smile all day from this lullaby. Maybe somewhere in the silence you will wake and you're alone. Just call out and I'll be there. Even when I'm gone, each day will end. So I'll say 'goodnight' til we meet again. Now baby close your eyes, and rest your weary mind. I'll let you know the joy you bring every time you hear me sing you this lullaby._

When Robin finished the song, he looked over and Regina was now passed out. She had her head leaning against his shoulder, and her arms tangled with one of his. Robin couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. He gently lifted her head, and slowly moved her so that she was laying down on the bed. He covered her with the sheets, and then climbed in the bed and lay next to her. He lay with his chest facing her back, and slid his arm across her stomach and around her. He pulled her closer to him, and nuzzled his face in the back of her neck. He inhaled deeply, taking in her beautiful scent. He could get drunk by the smell of her. The coconut scent her shampoo had mixed with the fruity smell of her perfume drove him crazy. He breathed her in and eventually drifted off into sleep. Robin's dreams were filled with proposals, weddings, children, and the like. Regina's dreams were solely fixed on Roland. She dreamed of her life as a his mother. Both slept peacefully with smiles unknowingly gracing their faces the whole night.


	16. Chapter 16

Light shown through the curtains of the penthouse windows at an early hour, waking up a sleeping Robin. His eyes opened slowly and his head turned to look at the person next to him. His face lit up when he saw Regina still sound asleep next to him. Their bodies still close together as they had been when they fell asleep the night before.

As he looked at her, thoughts of their future ran through his mind. He thoroughly enjoyed waking up next to the woman he loved, but he couldn't help but want more. He wanted her to be his wife; for them to be fully, completely committed to each other. He wanted her face to be the first thing he sees every single morning. He wanted to see a sparkling diamond ring wrapped around her finger, symbolizing their love and their marriage.

As his eyes roamed her face, he caught a glimpse of the clock in his peripheral. "6:30am" it said. Robin immediately jumped out of bed and stood beside Regina, who was still passed out on the bed. He gently rubbed her shoulders to wake her.

"Regina! Regina, wake up! You've got to get ready for work," he said frantically.

Regina's eyes shot open in fright. Her heart was racing and she panicked. "Wh-what's wrong?" Then her face turned to see Robin's. "What the hell? You scared the shit out of me," she said breathlessly.

Robin looked her in the eyes lovingly, "I apologize my love, but you are seriously gonna be late for work if you don't get going now," he said while glancing over at the clock.

Regina's gaze followed his and she saw the clock. "Damn it! Not again!" She jumped out of bed and ran to her suitcase. She pulled out a sleeveless royal blue dress and a pair of black high heels. She ran to the bathroom and quickly began putting on her makeup. "Babe, do you think you could make me a cup of coffee please?" she yelled out to Robin.

"Sure babe," he yelled back. While Regina frantically got herself ready for work, Robin picked Roland up out of his crib, changed his diaper quickly, and brought him into the living room and placed him in his swing. He then made his way to the kitchen and placed a sugar cookie k-cup into the Keurig. He put a large cup under the Keurig and hit the brew button.

While he waited for that to finish, he started making an egg for her. He cracked an egg into the frying pan and waited patiently for it to begin browning on the edges. Regina liked eggs, but the only way she liked them to be cooked was overeasy. He cooked the egg just how she likes it and slid it onto a small plate. He walked to the fridge and got the creamer out. He poured a good amount into her coffee before returning it to its proper shelf in the fridge. He put two spoonfuls of sugar into the cup and stirred it. He grabbed the plate and the cup and moved it to the bar, setting it on the counter directly in front of one of the stools.

Regina finally emerged from the bedroom and walked to the kitchen. Her hair was no longer in a messy bun as it had been earlier. It was now elegantly lay down her back. Soft black curls spiraled down from her scalp to just below her shoulders. Her makeup was stunning. Bold eyes; black eyeliner tracing along the edges of her eyelids, silver eye shadow painted on the skin of her eyelids, and jet black mascara elongating and emphasizing her already beautiful lashes. Her lips were soft however. She added no color to them, but rather a soft nude lip gloss to make them pop subtly. Her cheeks glowed with a soft pink blush, and her skin looked like porcelain.

"Wow!" Robin's eyes widened. "And you did all of that in 10 minutes?" He was sincerely shocked.

Regina giggled briefly. "I'm just as surprised as you are," she joked. She walked towards the bar and sat herself up on the stool. She inhaled deeply and shut her eyes as she did. "Mmm! This smells delicious."

Robin chuckled. "It's just eggs and coffee. Nothing fancy."

Regina looked up at him. "I don't need fancy. This is perfect. Thank you," she smiled before beginning to eat.

"Anything for you my love," Robin replied.

Regina scarfed down her egg and began sipping her coffee, but she didn't have time to finish it. "Could you get me a travel mug please? I don't have time to drink all of this now."

Robin nodded and walked to the cup cabinet. He pulled down a travel mug and opened the draw with the lids and grabbed the matching lid to the cup he got. He poured the remaining coffee of Regina's into the mug and sealed the lid shut. He stretched his arm out towards Regina, handing her the mug. "Have a good day at work," he smiled.

Regina took the cup and smiled back. "Thank you." She walked closer to him and kissed his lips. "You gonna be alright by yourself with Roland?" She hated that she had to leave them, but duty called and she couldn't keep asking for time off.

"We'll be fine. Go. Be a doctor. Save lives. I've got things under control here," he smiled before pecking her lips once more.

Regina grinned into the kiss. When she pulled away she noticed lip gloss on Robin. She laughed "Oh- you've got a little something…" she gestured toward her own lips showing Robin where he needed to wipe. But he just wasn't getting it. "Just let me, let me." She reached her hand to his mouth and swiped her thumb across his lips. "There. That's better." She grinned and then walked over to Roland and bent down by his swing.

She put her hand on the swing to stop it from moving so she could kiss the boy. She brought her lips to his forehead and kissed him. "Be a good boy for your daddy. Gina will be back before you know it. Okay?" She asked sweetly. She kissed his head one last time before standing up again. She walked toward Robin and kissed him one last time. "I'll see you soon," she smiled.

"And I you," he responded.

Regina walked past him, and as she did Robin smacked her butt. She turned around with her mouth gaped open, only to see Robin smirking.

"You pervert," she joked.

Robin pretended to be offended, but then laughed.

"I'm leaving now. Goodbye." Regina laughed and turned around swiftly and walked out of the penthouse.

Robin quickly made his way over to Roland. He squatted down in front of the swing and turned it off. When it stopped moving he looked Roland straight in the eyes. "Alright little man, Operation Engagement Ring is a go." He smiled big and picked the child up.

Robin walked to the kitchen and got an already made bottle out of the fridge. He warmed it up in the microwave before giving it to the baby. He placed a few more bottles and jars of food in the diaper bag so he'd have enough for their little outing.

As soon as Roland finished drinking his milk, Robin changed his outfit. He put on a tiny white and black checkered button up and a pair of baby jeans. He slipped on a pair of black converse as well. When Roland was all ready to go, Robin brought him into the master bedroom and placed him in the bassinet beside his bed while he went to change.

Robin slipped on a pair of dark wash jeans, a casual white button up and a pair of tan sperrys. He fixed his hair and squirted on cologne. He picked Roland up, grabbed his keys and wallet, and headed out the door.

He put Roland in his car seat and then proceeded to get in the driver's seat. He fastened his seat belt and began driving.

Twenty minutes later, he arrived at his destination. The Harry Winston jewelry store. He swiftly parked his car and emerged from the car. He lifted Roland out of his car seat and cradled him in his arms. He walked into the store and immediately became overwhelmed. His eyes scanned the room and saw the vast amount of options. He walked beside all the counters and glanced at the jewelry encased beneath the glass.

After a few minutes, an employee came over to Robin. "May I help you sir?" the friendly woman asked.

"Uh-actually yes. I'm looking for an engagement ring," he said happily.

"Is there anything in particular you had in mind?" she questioned.

"Not really." He paused. "Although, I thought about getting a cushion cut diamond, but I'm open to other ideas. And she's not a showy person, so nothing too big. But I also don't want it to be too small-or wimpy looking," he informed.

"I'm certain we can find the perfect ring," she smiled. She noticed the baby in his arms and asked, "Is this your son?"

Robin looked down and smiled. "Yes. This is my son Roland."

"He's precious," she added.

"Thank you," Robin replied.

"Follow me over here. I have a few I think you'll like," she gestured toward the counter on the other side of the room.

The two walked together over to the counter the woman had pointed out. She walked behind the counter and unlocked the glass door and slid it open. She reached her hand in and pulled out a ring for Robin to look at.

"This is from the Oval Micropavé Diamond collection. It is 2.25 carats, and has a mivcropavé platinum setting." She hands it over to Robin and lets him look at it.

Robin intensely studied the ring. It was gorgeous. It was the right size. Not too big or small. It was very sparkly, which is what any woman would want. But there was just something not right about it. It was oval. "This is a beautiful ring, however, I'm not sure the oval shape is really what I'm looking for. My girlfriend doesn't have very long fingers, and I'm worried a ring like this would look too big for her finger."

"I completely understand. And you're right, the oval cut is more suited for longer fingers," she smiled and took back the ring, placing it back in its box and under the counter. She pulled out another ring. This one caught Robin's attention immediately. "Let's try this one." She hands the ring to Robin. "This is from the Cushion Cut Micropavé Diamond collection. It is essentially the same ring, just a different cut. However this ring is 3.03 carats, instead of 2.25." The woman smiled and patiently waited for Robin to reply.

Robin couldn't help but smile huge as he looked at this ring. This is exactly what he had in mind. "I'll take it," he said excitedly.

"Wonderful! Now we can come over here and discuss size and price." She led Robin over to another counter and got out a form to write down the information. "So what size ring does your girlfriend wear?"

Robin had made sure he memorized this previously, because he wanted to be accurate. "She wears a size 6."

The woman wrote down the information immediately. "And can I have your name?"

"Oh, my apologies for not introducing myself. I'm Robin Locksley."

"Could you spell your last name for me please?" she requested.

"L-O-C-K-S-L-E-Y" he answered.

"Thank you," she replied. "And now could you give me your phone number and email address so that I can inform you when the ring is ready?"

"Of course. My number is 212-546-2979." He paused and waited for her to write it down. "And my email is rlocksley ."

"So you're a lawyer I presume?" the clerk asked.

"Yes I am. I'm partner at Nolan and Locksley Law Firm down on Court Street," Robin responded.

"Oh yes! I know that office! Well it's nice to meet you," she said kindly.

"I didn't catch your name…" Robin stated.

"Oh, it's Eva Blanchard."

"Nice to meet you, Eva," he said.

A few seconds of silence went by as Eva finished filing out the form. "Alright, now we should discuss price." She paused. "The original price of this ring is $9,750." She saw Robin's eyes widen. "BUT… I can give you a discount, knocking the price down to $7,700. And while I know that's still a lot, we can work with you to figure out a down payment, and then determine a payment plan for the rest."

"Ok… How much would the down payment be?"

"You will need to pay about $1,500 today," she replies.

"And what kind of payment plan do you suggest?" Robin asks.

"Well typically our clients pay monthly, and they figure out a certain price they can manage to pay each month. So for you, it could be as much as $1,000 a month or as little as $100 a month. It just depends on how quickly you want to get this paid off, and how much you are prepared to pay each month."

Robin thinks about it for a few minutes. After coming to a conclusion he tells her, "Could we do $620 a month?" he requests.

"Absolutely. And if something comes up where you need to back the price down later on, just call me and I can work it out for you."

Robin gets out his wallet and pulls his credit card out. "Here you go."

"Thank you," she takes his card and swipes it. When she's done, she return the card back to him and hands him the receipt to sign. "If you could just sign here, then you'll be all set."

Robin takes the pen and signs on the dotted line.

"Alright, that's everything. Typical rings like this take about 3 weeks to come in, but I'm labeling yours as priority, so it should be available in a week and a half."

"Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!" Robin replies joyfully.

"No problem! Congratulations to you and your girlfriend! Now get that sleepy boy home"

"Thank you! Will do!"

Robin looks down at Roland who is sound asleep in his arm and smiles. Things are beginning to feel right again. All the drama and mourning he's gone through over his sister caused him to lose sight of his joy in life. But now, knowing he has this precious little boy, and knowing he will soon have Regina as his wife, he is more joyful than he's ever been.

Robin loads Roland back into the car and he drives over to Starbucks. When he gets inside, he orders himself a drink and a wrap, and sits down at a table. While he waits on his food to be ready, he pulls out a bottle and feeds it to Roland. After he finishes feeding him, and after he eats his food, they head back home.

He gets home and immediately lays Roland down for a nap. Before he lays him down, he changes him into the outfit Regina had last seen him in, and he changes into other clothes as well. He didn't wants Regina to become suspicious of his whereabouts, so he made sure everything seemed normal.

Regina arrived home at around 6pm. Robin had dinner ready for them, and had soft music playing in the background. Regina walked in and quickly took her shoes off and dropped her stuff at the door. She made her way over to Robin, who was smiling from ear to ear.

Robin immediately grabbed her shoulders and brought her in for a kiss. They remained connected at the lips for several moments, before Regina pushed him away with a laugh.

"What's going on? You seem overly excited or happy… Why?" she asked in confusion.

"I just love you, that's all," he stated simply, making Regina blush.

Regina felt there was more to the story than what Robin was admitting to, but she wasn't going to ruin the moment by questioning him.

She inhales and looks around the dining room. "What did you cook tonight, my love?"

"Cream cheese chicken tortellini bake."

"That sounds fancy! How did you manage to make this all by yourself? You don't cook often."

"I got on your Pinterest and saw this on your food board. So I looked at the recipe and followed the instructions. It was quite easy actually," he grinned.

"You- a man- went on Pinterst? Isn't that breaking some guy rule or something?" she laughed.

"Not if I'm on it to make my girl happy," he smiled.

The two eventually sat down and enjoyed their meal and their glasses of wine. Everything went smoothly according to Robin. He had no inclination to believe Regina suspected anything. Even though his happiness was through the roof, and it showed on his face, he just played it off as nothing out of the ordinary, which she seemed to buy.

When they finished eating, Robin took their plates and rinsed them off and put them in the dishwasher. Meanwhile, Regina slipped into Roland's room so she could see him before she went to bed. She walked over to the playpen and leaned over the edge to kiss his cheek.

"Goodnight my little man," she whispered softly. "Sleep tight." She stood up straight again and slowly walked out of the room and headed to the master bedroom, where Robin was waiting.

"So how was your day at work?" he asked when she walked in.

Regina walked into his closet where she had moved her suitcase to. She reached in, looking for her pajamas. "It was good. Really busy since it's my first day back," she yelled out. She finally found what she was looking for and pulled it out of her bag. "I had a lot of paper work to go through, and several patients who were rather upset over my long absence."

"I'm sorry babe. It's my fault. I shouldn't have made you stay out of work that long," Robin replied sadly.

Regina poked her head out of the closet with a glare. "Don't you dare go blaming yourself for this. This was ultimately my decision, and I knew I'd pay the repercussions of it. This was NOT your fault. You hear me?"

"I still feel bad," he added.

"You don't have to." She walked back into the closet and changed into her pajamas and then walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

Robin stood up from the bed and followed her into the bathroom and stood directly behind her, looking at her though the mirror.

"What?" she asked.

"How did I get so lucky?" he smiled.

"I think I'm the lucky one in this relationship honey," she retorted before leaning over to spit into the sink.

"I don't see how that's possible," Robin replied.

"Oh it's possible." She raised her head and turned to face him. "Very possible." She leaned in and kissed his lips.

The couple walked back into the bedroom and they both crawled into bed. They got under the covers and Regina quickly slid over right up next to Robin. It was a habit. Now that she'd been sleeping in his bed for close to a week, she had gotten so used to snuggling up to him at night as she drifted off into sleep.

Robin too had gotten used to it. He loved having her close to him at night. It made sleep a lot more peaceful for him. He always held onto her somehow as they laid together. Whether he held her hand, or wrapped his arm around her, whatever the case… he made sure he could feel her.

Regina put her head on his chest and gently traced his chest with her fingertips while Robin stroked her hair.

"I love you, you know that right?" she asked softly.

Robin couldn't resist the huge smile that grew on his face. "I know you do. And I love you." He kissed her forehead gently. "Now let's get some sleep. You have another long work day tomorrow."

Regina nodded and kissed his chest before closing her eyes.

The couple fell asleep just like that, in that position, in each other's arms. Robin fell asleep with the joyous knowledge that he would soon be proposing to this woman, and it thrilled him, while Regina remained blissfully unaware of the joy she would soon feel.


	17. Chapter 17

2 weeks later…

It was Friday and Regina woke up around 5:30am. She got out of Robin's bed (which was practically her bed now) and walked to the closet. She had made it a routine to go to her apartment and gather up enough outfits to last a week and bring it back to Robin's place. So when she walked in the closet, she grabbed a pale pink lace dress off the rack. She took off her pajamas and slipped the dress on. When she was dresses she went to the bathroom and began putting her makeup on.

Meanwhile, Robin felt Regina getting out of bed and he too woke up. Instead of walking to Regina he went to check on Roland. Roland was wide awake, but wasn't crying. He just laid there peacefully looking up at the mobile that hung above his crib. Robin leaned over the edge of the crib and kissed the little boy's cheek, causing the boy to smile. Robin picked him up and laid him on the guest bed and changed his diaper.

Regina finished her makeup and started on her hair. She turned her straightener on and as she waited for it to heat up, she brushed through her long black locks. As she looked in the mirror she saw something in the reflection that made her smile. Robin walking towards her with Roland leaned against his shoulder. Robin walked up behind her and kissed her shoulder, then her neck.

"Someone wanted to say good morning…" Robin lifted Roland off his shoulder and turned him to face the mirror.

Regina giggled like a little school girl. She turned around so she could look at the two that were behind her. "Hello little man! Did you sleep good?" She pinched his cheek gently and kissed his little nose, causing Roland to scrunch his face. "Aren't you just adorable," she cooed.

Robin watched intently as the love his life spoke so preciously to his child. Thoughts of what would later occur that evening made his heart beat so fast, but for a good reason. He wasn't nervous about proposing, he was excited. More than excited. What he felt was beyond words.

Regina looked up at her man with a smile. "So what do you two boys have planned for today?" she asked genuinely.

"Oh you know… just hanging around. This guy will be getting several naps today, and I think I'm going start pricing out some stuff for his nursery. He needs an actual crib and a dresser and a changing table…" he trailed. "Who knew babies cost so much," he laughed.

Regina laughed right along with him. "Yes dear… get used to it," she laughed again. "It doesn't stop…even when he's married."

Robin chuckled at her remark. "I guess you're right." He kissed her temple. "I'm going to go make your coffee and grab you a breakfast bar while you finish getting ready," he smiled at her.

"What would I ever do without you?" she grinned.

"Not much!" Robin joked to which he received a playful slap to the arm. "Sorry my love. Of course you're capable of doing much without me. I mean look at what you've accomplished already in your life. And that's all your own work and your own success," he got serious. "Be proud of yourself."

"Thanks babe," she smiled at him. "Now go get my breakfast ready. I'll be out in a few," she slapped his ass and smirked.

Robin just laughed in response and made his way to the kitchen. He laid Roland down on the floor on his mat with some toys while he made breakfast. He perked Regina's coffee and searched in the cabinet for her favorite granola bar. He set both items neatly on the counter for Regina to grab on her way out.

As Robin expected, Regina took longer in the bathroom than she said she would. While he waited, he lifted Roland off the floor and put him in his highchair. He got out a jar of bananas to feed the little man. Before he began feeding him, he fastened a bib around his neck.

"We don't want your adorable outfit to get messy now do we little guy?" he asked playfully. He opened the jar of food and dipped the spoon in. He brought the spoon out of the jar and flew it slowly towards Roland. "Here comes the airplane." Roland smiled and opened his mouth to receive the food. "Is it yummy?"

He dipped the spoon in once again and began to repeat the same motion. Unknown to Robin, Regina leaned against the wall of the kitchen behind Robin and smiled at the two boys in her life. She was beginning to truly view Roland as her own, and as Robin and Roland together as her family. She walked over to Robin and put her hands on his shoulder and kissed his temple. "I love you so much Robin Locksley."

Robin, surprised by her presence, turned around to face her. He smiled so big towards her. "And I love you Regina Mills." He leaned forward and kissed her lips softly.

"You need to get going or else you'll be late." He got her back for earlier and slapped he ass this time. "Maybe we should set your clock 20 minutes ahead so that you show up to work on time," he joked.

Regina huffed. "I am not late ALL the time…" Robin looked at her with a small glare. "Okay maybe sometimes…" He kept glaring at her. "Okay fine! I'm late most of the time. But it's not my fault."

"Oh it's not?" Robin asked jokingly.

"No it's not. I have a damn gorgeous boyfriend and a baby that's practically my own, and hair that can't be magically put up or makeup that can be put on quickly. All of those things and people are responsible for my lateness." She was actually serious when she said this. No sense of joking whatsoever in her voice.

"Well I can't help being so damn gorgeous," Robin smirked. "Just don't look at me in the mornings," he joked. "Now go! I don't want my gorgeousness to make you even later than usual." He kissed her lips quickly and handed her the coffee mug and breakfast bar. "I'll see you when you get home."

Regina leaned in for one more kiss before she left. As soon as she left, Robin walked back to Roland. "Alright little guy… Operation Engagement Ring will come to an end today once we pick up the ring, and Operation Proposal will commence!"

He finished feeding Roland and then changed the boy into a casual outfit for now, but packed a little baby suit for this evening. Robin too dressed in a casual pair of khaki shorts with a black v-neck t-shirt and his famous sperry's. He packed his nice navy suit jacket and his khaki dress pants hat Regina loved along with a pale pink button up with a navy bow tie with hot pink polka dots. Regina had told him she liked the preppy look on him, so he made sure that's what he wore for the proposal. And also, he made sure he and Regina matched.

He gathered up all their stuff and put Roland in his carrier and somehow managed to carry everything downstairs to his car. Once they were buckled and ready to go, Robin headed for the jewelry store.

When they arrived, Robin's heart was racing. He had been waiting for this day for weeks, months even. He got Roland out and just carried him in his arms as he walked into the store. He went straight to the lady he had worked with a few weeks ago.

"Oh Robin! It's good to see you again!" She greeted. "I assume you're here to pick up the ring?"

"That's correct," Robin answered excitedly.

Eva walked bent down under the cabinet and retrieved the blue velvet box that contained the ring. She stood up and opened the lid to the small box. "How does this look?" She asked with a smile.

Robin couldn't answer right away. His eyesight became blurry due to the tears that were forming in his eyes. "It's beautiful!" Eva handed it to him. Robin studied the ring carefully. "This is perfect. Exactly what I wanted."

Eva was thrilled to hear that. "So when are you going to propose?" she asked.

"Tonight! I can't wait another day to ask her." He was grinning from ear to ear.

"Well Congratulations!" Eva smiled at him. "You've already paid, so you're free to go!"

"Thank you so much Eva!" He stuck his hand out for her to shake. They shook hands for a few seconds before Robin turned around to leave.

He buckled Roland back in his car seat and proceeded to get in the driver's seat. "Alright, Operation Engagement Ring is now complete. Operation Proposal begins now!" Robin smiled.

When Regina arrived at work, she walked straight to the front desk.

"Good morning Dr. Mills!" Belle said extremely energetically. Regina was confused by her peppiness, and wondered why she was so happy, but she decided to ignore it.

"Good morning Belle. Are there any messages for me?" Regina asked Belle.

"Oh… uh just one. But I put it on your desk already," Belle responded with a mischievous smile.

Regina nodded at Belle and proceeded to make her way to her office. When she opened her office door she saw a long stemmed red rose lying on her desk, and a white envelope titled "Regina Mills" laying below the flower.

Regina was so confused. She had no earthly idea what this was about or even who it was from. Why she didn't immediately think of Robin? Who knows… she was just so confused she couldn't really think.

She walked over to her desk and picked up the flower. She brought it to her nose and sniffed it. She loved the way roses smelled. Roses had become her favorite flower since Robin had said "I love you" to her.

She then lifted the card. She broke the seal and pulled out the card. It read:

 _My love,_

 _Here's where the journey begins. Today, you will not be working. Belle has re-arranged all of your patients' appointments. Instead, you will be treated to a spa day. You are under strict orders to leave your practice and head straight to "Lee Spa and Nails." I have eyes and ears keeping an eye on you… so you better not skip out on this… ;)_

 _Sincerely,_

 _Your Love_

At this point Regina was seriously confused. She was happy, but totally confused. She picked up the rose again and walked back out to Belle.

"So you know what's going on don't you?" Regina asked.

"Indeed I do. And I'm under strict instructions by Robin to make sure you follow through," Belle smirked.

"So I've read…" Regina sighed. "Well I guess I'll see you later? I honestly don't know what's happening right now." Regina laughed as she walked out of the building.

"Enjoy your day!" Belle yelled to her.

Regina got in her car and drove to the spa place. When she arrived, she walked into the spa and went to the front desk.

"Yes, how may I help you?" the Asian lady asked.

"Hi, uh… I'm Regina Mills…" Regina started but was interrupted.

"Ah! Welcome! We are ready for you!" the worked responded.

'Ready for me?' Regina thought to herself. 'What the hell is going on?' She was sincerely confused.

The lady walked her back to a room with a massage table. Regina began to feel deeply loved. She knew Robin loved her, but whatever he was up to today sure exceed anything she ever expected. She was being pampered.

Regina spent the next hour being massaged, and boy did it feel good. Regina hadn't realized how tense she was. The last few weeks with Marian's death, working, and helping Robin take care of Roland took a toll on her body.

After the massage she was sat in a set for a pedicure. She decided to do a French manicure and pedicure. It was elegant and it matched everything. The pedicure was a full-on pedicure. The hot rocks and the callous treatment and everything. Regina was truly in heaven.

Next on the agenda was a manicure. Regina carefully stood up and walked to the manicure station. When the lady finished her nails she walked to the front desk to pay. When she handed the lady her credit card, the lady wouldn't take it.

"No ma'am. You're treatment has been paid for already," she informed. "Oh, and he left this for you…" She reached down and retrieved yet another red rose and a card. She handed it to Regina.

"Thank you!" Regina said smiling. She walked out of the spa and got in her car. She placed the rose with the one she had gotten earlier. Then she opened the card. This one read:

 _My love,_

 _I hope you enjoyed your spa day. Now it's time to get your hair and makeup done. Drive to Amaris Salon and do what you wish with your hair. :)_

 _Sincerely,_

 _Your Love_

Regina drove straight there and once again the ladies there were waiting on her. Robin was so thorough. He had every detail so perfectly planned out. 'How long ago did he plan this?' she wondered.

She told the hairdresser to do whatever she thought was fitting for whatever it was Robin had planned. So the lady curled Regina's hair and put some of it up in a braid that wrapped elegantly around the back of her head.

Once her hair was done, she was brought over to the makeup chair. She told the lady to keep the makeup light and neutral. The dress she was wearing didn't suit bold and dark makeup.

It didn't take long for the lady to apply the makeup on Regina. Soon enough Regina was again prepared to pay, but Robin had apparently already paid for it.

 _(IT WAS NOW ABOUT 1PM…)_

The lady at the front desk handed her yet another flower and card. Regina excitedly ran to her car and opened up the card immediately.

 _My love,_

 _Now that you've had a spa time, and a hair and makeup time, I think it's only fair you see the real purpose of it all. Drive to Central Park, and I will be waiting in our "I love you" spot. :)_

 _Sincerely,_

 _Your love._

Regina's heart began racing very fast. She felt like she knew what was taking place in just a few moments, but the anticipation of how it would happen and just the fact that it was happening made her anxious. She didn't waste a second though. She cranked her engine and drove straight to where Robin would be waiting.

It was about a 20 minute drive; 20 minutes too long in Regina's mind. She parked her car and hopped out quickly. She walked through the park and headed straight to their "I love you" spot. She walked for about 5 minutes before she saw him… correction them.

There they were, Robin and Roland. Robin standing in the same spot he had been all those weeks ago. He was once again standing among dozens and dozens of rose petals. Only this time he was surrounded by candles. And above him, strands of lights were strewn across the tree branches. He was dressed so handsomely (not that he wasn't handsome in other clothes… but tonight it struck Regina more). He was dressed in a preppy fashion that Regina had fallen in love with. Roland was in a similar outfit.

Regina's eyes began to glisten with the tears that were forming in her eyes. She covered her mouth with her hands and cried tears of joy as she walked slowly towards them. She was in shock; unbelief. 'Was this really happening?' she thought to herself many times.

Robin too was smiling and even crying. He couldn't take his eyes off of his gorgeous woman. Her hair was so elegantly done, and her makeup just highlighted her already stunning features. Everything about her stunned him. She was literally perfect.

When she finally reached her guys Robin stretched out his hand to hers. "Hello beautiful," he said with a huge grin.

"Hi!" Regina replied with an adorable laugh. "Robin… what's going on?" she asked so innocently.

Robin kissed the top of her hand.

"Oh Regina… where do I even begin? Ever since you came into my life, I've been the happiest I've ever EVER been. For such a long time I just told myself I wasn't ever going to meet someone and get married; that I was doomed to die without ever marrying or knowing what true love felt like. I lost hope. Until I met you. As soon as I laid eyes on you I knew you were going to change my life. In fact you had already changed my life in that very instance. You restored my hope." He began to get choked up. "I learned very quickly how strong of a woman you are, Regina. You so willingly shared your past struggles with me, and you exposed to me the incredible strength you possess. I've never seen someone with such strength. All the hell you've gone through in your life; all the heartache and pain you were forced to feel… Part of me would say I wish I could take all of those memories away for you, but another part knows what you'd say to that. You'd tell me that those memories; those struggles are what makes you who you are. They are what helped bring you to where you are today. So no… I will say I don't want to take those things away from you. Not if they are what brought you here… to me. It may sound selfish of me to say that, but I can't help it. I am so madly in love with you, and whatever it is that occurred to bring you to where you are now…. I am grateful." He paused and smiled at her. "You Regina Mills are the epitome of perfect. You may disagree, but it's true, at least according to my definition of perfect. See I don't see perfect as meaning "flawless". I prefer to see it as "perfect as a human can get". Everyone has struggles. Everyone makes bad decisions. That's inevitable. But the reason I say you're perfect, is because of how you've dealt with those struggles and how you've brought yourself back from the bad decisions you've made. It's your strength, your inner and outer beauty, your wisdom, your love, your hard work and dedication to everything in life… EVERYTHING you do is with so much passion and so much care. Many times I wish I was more like you." He took another deep breath and smiled. "All of that just to express, in inadequate terms, how I view you and how deeply I care for you. I love you so much Regina Mills; more than words could ever express. So now…" He shifted Roland into his left arm and pulled the blue velvet box out of his pocket, and proceeded to get down on one knee. "Regina Marie Mills, would you do us," he looked down at Roland and then back to her beautiful eyes, "the great honor of being in our family forever? Will you marry me?" his crystal blue eyes searched her chocolate brown eyes for a reaction as he lifted the top of the box up, revealing the ring. And boy did he receive one.

Regina gasped and covered her mouth for a moment. She stared at the ring for hardly a second before her eyes focused entirely on the man in front of her. "YES! Yes of course I'll marry you!" She shouted happily, tears still streaming down her face.

Robin let out a sigh of relief and smiled so big. He took the ring out of the box and slid it on her finger. He stood up and she captured his lips in a passionate kiss. They kissed for what seemed like an eternity before they pulled back, breathless. Robin rested his forehead on hers and stared into her eyes.

"I love you Regina! I love you so so much!" He was crying, but out of pure joy.

Regina smiled back and kissed the tip of his nose. "And I love you! More than I could ever say!" She smiled and then felt Roland moving between them. She giggled happily and pulled her forehead away from Robin's so she could see the boy.

"Why hello there my little man! Did you help your daddy plan this for Gina? Huh?" She asked lovingly.

"No… He helped his daddy plan this for his mommy!" Robin corrected with a huge grin. "I want you to be his mother. I want us to raise him together, as our own and give him the life he deserves."

Regina couldn't help but tear up again. "I would love to become his mother! Raising him with you is one of the most amazing things I could ever ask for!" She leaned down and kissed the boys cheek. "How does that sound? Can I be your mommy?"

Roland smiled up at her and giggled.

"I think that's a yes!" Robin noted with a grin.

Regina's heart melted. "I guess it is," she said softly. The emotions were taking over. She could hardly get words out anymore without crying. This whole day took her for a whirlwind, but she loved every minute of it.

"Oh I almost forgot!" Robin walked over behind a tree and retrieved a bouquet of two dozen red roses. He walked back to Regina and handed them to her. "These are for you."

"Robin… these are beautiful! Thank you!" She kissed his lips softly as she took the flowers from him.

Robin looked down at her hand as she took the flowers. "Oh Regina! What do you think of the ring?" He had totally forgot about it, as did Regina.

Regina quickly looked down at her left hand. Her face lit up like sunshine. "Oh my god! Robin this is the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen!" She was genuinely in awe. "It's perfect!"

Robin took another sigh of relief. "You don't know how glad I am to hear that!" He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers once more.

"I love you, Regina _Locksley_!" He changed her name this time.

Regina loved the sound of it. She smiled big and looked at him lovingly. "I can't wait to be your wife, and wear that name for the rest of my life! I love you!"


	18. Chapter 18

The couple shared a passionate kiss once again. When Regina pulled away, she smiled brightly.

"You never cease to amaze me, Robin Locksley." She pecked his lips quickly.

"I could say the same thing about you my love." His face was inches away from Regina's, and as lovely as that was, Robin wanted to see all of her. He wanted to observe every beautiful feature there was to see. So he took her hand in his once more and spun her away from him like a swift dance move. His eyes finally were able to look at her and truly admire how she looked this afternoon. When she first arrived at the park, he noticed her, and of course thought she was beautiful. But nerves were raging through him so much that his mind didn't fully process the image. He smiled at her now and lifted his eyes to meet hers. "Stunning… in every way," he said in his low accented voice.

Regina blushed, but at the same time, a wave of excitement and desire ran through her body. She could feel the energy coursing through her body rapidly. It was a wave of heat… an ignition of a passion within her that she had tried to suppress for so long. If there was ever a moment she desired this man… truly desired him and desired expressing her love for him in a way she hadn't done… it was now. She was captivated by him. His smell, his warmth, his voice, his looks, his deep love for her and for Roland. Everything about him made her burn with passion, with desire. But despite all of that... despite what she wanted, and how she felt… she knew how Robin felt. She knew he had this code that he has tried to live by throughout his life that he did not want to break, and she had to honor that. She shoved her thoughts of desire aside.

She giggled a little before speaking. "You listened to my fashion request!" She grinned.

"Indeed I did milady. I do hope you like what I picked out."

Regina let her eyes travel down his body and back up to his eyes. "You did a wonderful job. I love how you dressed to match me. It makes me smile." And boy did she ever. It's a wonder how she managed to smile for that length of time. "And this little guy…" she lifted Roland out of his father's arms and into her own, "looks so handsome as well." She leaned her face down and kissed the child's head.

Robin looked at them in pure bliss. "It's finally becoming real," he said softly.

Regina let her attention drift away from the child and to her beloved. "What is?"

"This… we are finally becoming a family." A single tear emerged from his eye and traveled down his cheek. "When you first came into my life, I always imagined being with you, marrying you, starting a family with you. But when Roland came into the picture permanently, those images became even more real and made me even more desirous of them. I needed you to become a part of my family. Roland needed a mother to care for him in ways I am not able to. When you stayed over to help take care of him all those weeks, I truly felt as if we were already a family, but it wasn't real. It wasn't set in stone then. But now… now that we are engaged to be married, now that you've agreed to not only be my wife, but be Roland's mother… it's finally real."

Regina came even closer to him and raised a hand to his cheek. She used her thumb to wipe away the tear. "It sure is, my love." She brought her lips to meet his. The kiss was full of passion and desire. Lips locking, tongues tangling, hands roaming… but there was an obstacle- several actually. One being Roland. Roland began crying uncontrollably. Regina bounced him up and down gently, hoping it would calm him down, but it didn't.

"I think he's hungry. Do you have any food with you babe?" Regina asked.

"No. I only brought two jars and two bottles… all of which I've already given him," Robin replied.

"Geez… how long were you gone?" she asked jokingly.

"You think all of this incredibleness happened in only a small amount of time?" he laughed. "No. I had to pick up the ring this morning, go to the flower shop and order these roses which took forever, and come here and set it all up. Oh and make sure I remembered what I had planned to say to you." He smiled widely, knowing he proved his point.

"Ah! I see. You've been a busy man," she stated. "And I'm thankful." She looked back down at Roland who was still crying hysterically. "Well maybe we should get home so this guy can eat and take a nap."

"Sounds like a good idea to me." Robin took Regina's flowers from her and held them in one hand while he used his other hand to hold hers.

The couple walked to the parking lot and realized they drove two separate cars. Regina looked at Robin with a sad face. "Do you think you could somehow magically transport my car to your house so I don't have to drive by myself?" she asked jokingly.

Robin chuckled. "Hmmm… let me see." He waved his arms around as if he was trying to cast a spell or use magic, but it wasn't working. "My apologies, milady. It seems I'm all out of magic for the day." He smirked. "I must've used it all up for that proposal."

Regina laughed at his attempt. "Well that proposal was pretty magical," she smiled at him. "Thanks for trying though."

"If you want, I could move Roland's car seat into your car to keep you company on your way home…" Robin suggested.

"But then you'd be left alone in your car…"

"I'm willing to take one for the team." He opened the back door to his car to retrieve the car seat. "I'd rather you have company in your car than me," he said. He pulled the car seat out and waited for Regina to unlock her car (that looked identical to his besides the color). When she did he opened the back door and placed the car seat down on the middle seat and buckled it in. He lifted himself out of the car and walked to Regina. "Here let me take him."

Regina passed Roland over to his father and smiled as she watched him put the child in the car. It was really beginning to feel like they were a family. The image of a couple working together to put a child in the car just screamed "family" to anyone observing. It took a while for Regina to get used to the idea of being a mother. Memories of her failed pregnancy just flashed into her mind every time she thought of motherhood. It was a struggle for her to even look at Roland, in those beginning months of her and Robin's relationship, without going back to that dark and sad time in her life. Robin had noticed her struggle a few times and encouraged her, but deep down he knew this battle was something she'd have to fight on her own.

But over the past few months, Regina's grown to love this little family, and love the idea of becoming a part of it. Sure, she still had thoughts of her miscarriage and it saddened her, but she saw this time in her life as a chance for her to make things better. She lost a child, but now she's gaining one. She's being given one through Robin. And she has dedicated herself to making the best of this new opportunity.

Robin finished buckling Roland into his car seat got out of the car. He stretched out his arms to Regina to embrace her. Regina quickly walked into his warm embrace. She put her arms around his middle, as did he to her. She rested her head on his shoulder and they just sat their quietly for a moment, until Regina spoke up.

"This has been the best day of my life, and it's all because of you," she said softly, still pressing her head to his shoulder and holding onto him with her arms.

"Well you saying 'yes' made it the best day of my life as well," he kissed the side of her head.

"Did you ever doubt I would?" she asked.

Robin chuckled softly. "Well you can be unpredictable at times, my love. And plus… I wasn't sure if I had given you enough time to think through what you wanted."

Regina lifted her head to look into his eyes. "Robin, I was sure of my answer not even five minutes after you initially told me you wanted to marry me."

He placed his hands on her shoulders and shook her ever so gently. "Why didn't you tell me? I would've asked you right then and there."

"Because I know you Robin… I know you had something big planned and I didn't want to ruin that. I was willing to be patient and be surprised by you. And you know what? I am glad I was, because tonight was absolutely perfect." She leaned forward and captured his lips in a gentle kiss. Then they heard Roland crying again.

"I guess we should go then," Robin said after pulling away from the kiss.

"I suppose we should." She began walking out of his embrace, but was stopped by his manly hands grabbing her waist. She laughed into her response, "Whaaaat?"

"Just one more." He leaned in and pecked her lips quickly. "That'll have to do for now." He smirked and let her slip out of his arms. He waited for her to get into her car and buckle up before he did the same. As soon as he was buckled and ready to go, his phone rang. He looked down at it and saw the caller ID, 'My Love'. He smiled as he answered it. "And who might this be?" He asked jokingly.

"The boogyman," Regina joked back.

"Oh no! Don't hurt me!" Robin couldn't help but laugh.

Regina giggled so adorably at his response.

"What so you couldn't stand being away from me for a total of 10 seconds?" Robin laughed.

"You're just irresistible, babe. And plus, I figured I'd keep you company while we drive," she replied.

"Well aren't you sweet."

"As sweet as an apple pie," Regina played.

The couple remained on the phone until they arrived at the hotel Robin's penthouse was in. They were fortunate enough to find parking spots right next to each other, so as soon as they parked, Robin got out of his car and helped get Roland. He took Roland out and handed him to Regina. When he did, he could tell Regina was thinking about something.

"What are you thinking about Regina?"

"Our cars…" she said briefly. Robin was confused and she could tell so she continued. "I was thinking maybe I could trade in my car and get something more… family friendly. Like an SUV."

Robin smiled. She was really taking this family thing serious, and he loved it. He knew she'd agreed to be in the family, and to be Roland's mother, but he wasn't sure how quickly she'd warm up to the idea. He thought it would take a little while longer. But just as she had done many times before, she proved him wrong.

"If that's what you want my love. We can go look at cars this weekend if you want. A coworker of mine just recently bought a minivan for a pretty good price. Maybe I can ask her where she went…" Robin was going to say more, but Regina cut him off.

"No! Absolutely not a minivan. I will not be seen driving one of those," she said quickly.

Robin chuckled. "And why not?"

"I will be a mom, and I will love every second of it. But I will NOT be a soccer mom, driving around a minivan. I am much classier than that," she retorted.

"Ah! I see. Class is the issue. Well what car would you like my dear?" Robin asked enquiringly.

"I don't know. Some kind of SUV. Like a Chevy Suburban. The new ones are so sleek looking!" Regina was getting excited just thinking about it.

"I do believe I've seen those around town quite a bit. And I agree. They are very sleek." He smiled. "Let's go feed this little guy and lay him down for a nap, then we can talk about it more."

Regina nodded and the two walked into the building and made their way up to the penthouse.

As soon as they walked in, Regina put Roland in his highchair and Robin got a jar of peas for him to eat. When he ate all of that, Regina fed him a small bottle of milk, which he drank extremely fast.

"Looks like our guy here was hungry," Regina cooed. She lifted the child up and directed him toward Robin. "Go see daddy! Go see him!" Roland must've learned who is daddy was real quick, because he immediately stretched out his arms toward Robin excitedly, almost falling out of Regina's arms doing so.

Robin grabbed him and rested him on his hip. Both Robin and Regina saw Roland yawn and slowly blink his eyes. "I think it's nap time for you buddy. What do you think?" Roland was slowly beginning to close his eyes.

"I believe it is," Regina answered.

The couple walked together into the guest/nursery room. Robin laid the boy down on the bed and changed his diaper while Regina grabbed a pair of pajamas. She changed his clothes and proceeded to lay him down in his crib. Roland rolled over immediately and drifted off into sleep. Regina and Robin slowly walked toward the door, turned the light off, and exited the room, closing the door behind them.

They walked into the living room and sat down on the couch cuddled up together.

"We really need to get going on that nursery. We are using the bed as a makeshift changing table. His closet is just a small duffle bag stuffed with clothes. His crib is just a cheap portable playpen with a very thin and uncomfortable mattress. The poor child needs to have a proper nursery," Regina stated passionately.

Robin smiled. "You're right, my love. He deserves a proper nursery, especially after all he's been through." Robin's smile contorted into a frown as the memories flooded his mind, his gaze drifting down toward the ground.

Regina put her index finger under his chin and raised it, bringing his gaze to meet her chocolate brown eyes. "Hey… He's fine. You're fine. I'm fine. We are all fine." She kissed his cheek. "Let's make new memories. Memories with OUR son." She emphasized the 'our' hoping that would put a smile on his face. And it did.

Robin's facial expression changed quickly. "I'm never going to get tired of hearing you say that, you know," he stated with a soft gin.

"And I'm never going to get tired of saying it." She smiled. "I love him so much, Robin. I love him as my own, and it thrills me that soon he will be mine…" she smiled, "OURS," she corrected. She stood up from the couch and took his hand in hers. "Come on. Let's go look online for some furniture, and inspiration for a theme."

Robin stands up and kisses her cheek. "Do you know how much I love you?"

Regina lifts her fingers to her chin and puts on a fake thinking face. "You know, now that you mention it… I'm not sure I do. Care to enlighten me?" Regina giggled.

"My love for you is beyond words. I love you to the moon and back- to infinity and beyond- forever and always… and SO much more," Robin explained.

"I could say the same about my love for you, Robin. Seriously." She smiled and leaned forward to kiss him quickly before walking towards the office, pulling Robin with her. They get to the office and Regina sits down in front of the computer, and Robin sits in a chair beside her. She turns the computer on and immediately opens up an internet browser.

"So first we need to think of a theme… what do you think?" she asks Robin.

"I honestly have no idea. I'm not good with decorating. I hired someone to decorate this place…" he shyly admitted.

Regina laughed briefly. "Well I guess I'll help think of something." There's a few minutes of silence as Regina pulls up her Pinterst account. "So I actually don't know if we should go with a theme… I would say maybe we have a color scheme and have that be what we base everything off of. How does that sound?"

"Sounds perfect," he smiled brightly at her.

"What do think about royal blue, yellow, and white?" she asks.

Robin hesitates for a moment. "Honestly?" Regina nods her head. "It makes me think of school. My high school colors were blue and yellow. I'd rather not make that my son's nursery colors."

"Ok. Not a problem," she replied sweetly. "How about royal blue, grey, and white?"

"That sounds perfect!" Robin answered happily.

Regina smiled and immediately began searching ideas for a nursery in those three colors. She came across a picture of a nursery on Pinterest that caught her attention.

"Oh my god! Robin, this is perfect!" She couldn't contain herself. It was truly amazing.

Robin looked over her shoulder and looked at the image. The picture depicted a nursery with the exact color scheme the couple had decided on. The walls were a warm grey color, except the accent wall. The accent wall had a warm grey back ground, but overlaying it were alternating lines of white and blue argyle patterns. The curtains were white, with the child's monogram printed on in the blue color. There was a grey chair sitting catty-cornered where two of the walls met. A rectangle blue pillow sat on the chair. A white crib was placed along the accent wall, with three white frames hanging above the crib. The bedding was light grey and blue. On the wall beside the crib there was a huge letter 'S' hanging. The changing table and dresser were also white, and the other various decorations were white and blue.

Robin grinned. "That's absolutely perfect. Better than I could've imagined," he stated.

"I think we've figured out what we're doing. And I mean we are doing it EXACTLY like this. I will search for as long as I have to in order to find the correct furniture and the right curtains." She could not stop smiling.

"We can go shopping this weekend… AFTER we get your car," Robin commented.

Regina smiled at him, and then exited out of the browser and turned the computer off. The couple walked back to the couch and returned to their cuddling positon and laid there for a little while. Robin interlaced his fingers with hers and played with her new ring. It truly was the most gorgeous ring either of them had ever seen.

When 7pm rolled around both Robin and Regina were starving. Regina was leaning her back against Robin's chest with her head leaning against is shoulder. She turned it slightly so she could see Robin's face. "What should I make for dinner?"

Robin kissed her temple. "Whatever you want my love." Robin continued playing with and admiring her ring.

"You're no help…" she playfully nudged his shoulder and unlaced their fingers as she stood up. "Well if you're not going to tell me what to cook, you get to clean the kitchen all by your lonesome tonight," she threatened.

Robin quickly stood up and searched in his brain for dinner ideas. "Well-uh- how about grilled cheese?" he frantically suggested.

"Mhmm… that's what I thought," she chuckled. "You, Robin Locksley, just can't stand the idea of having to clean by yourself, can you?" she asked while pointing a finger at him.

"More like I can't stand the idea of having to clean without you," he smirked. While it was true, he really only said that because it was the smartest comeback he could think of in the moment that might get him out of trouble.

"How sweet," Regina replied with a grin. "Now get in here and help me get the stuff ready to make."

Robin chuckled and followed her into the kitchen. "What can I do?"

"Can you get the bread for me? I'll get the cheese and the butter." Regina replied.

Robin grabbed the bread out of the bread basket, and retrieved six pieces out of the bag. He laid them down on the granite countertop. Regina got a butter knife out of the silverware drawer and used it to spread butter on one side of each piece of bread. While she did that, Robin placed a piece of cheddar cheese on 3 out of the 6 slices of bread. The put it all together, and placed them one by one on the skillet to cook them.

While Regina cooks the sandwiches, Robin gets Roland up and feeds him a bottle. By the time Roland is done drinking the milk, Regina has everything prepared for her and Robin's dinner.

"Ready to eat babe?" she asked.

"In just a second. I'm going to lay Roland down for the night, then I'll be right back out," he retorted.

While Robin went to lay the baby down, Regina set the table. She lit some candles and put them in the middle of the table, and set their plates down in front of their respective chairs. She dimmed the lights and then filled two wine glasses with their favorite red wine. By the time she placed those two glasses on the table, Robin walked in.

Robin was grinning at the sight before him. "What's all of this for?"

"I know it's not the fanciest of meals, but I figured why not make it a fancy evening… I mean we did just get engaged, and that's something to celebrate." Regina smiled and pulled out Robin's chair. "Come sit down baby."

Robin smirked as he walked towards her. "While I appreciate the gesture, I do believe it's my job to pull out your chair." He walked past her and pulled out her chair. "If you would, milady." He gestured for her to sit down.

Regina blushed at his actions, but came and sat down anyways. Robin helped her bring the chair closer to the table as she sat down, and then he walked over to his chair and sat. They enjoyed their meal together, laughing and smiling all the while. When they finished, they helped each other clean the kitchen before making their way to the bedroom.

Regina went straight to the closet and got her silk nightgown out of her bag and changed into it. Robin waited patiently for her to change before he did the same. Regina walked out of the closet and into the bathroom where Robin was waiting. As soon as his eyes saw her in that nightgown, he melted. She usually wore a cotton nightgown or shorts and a tank top, which were all beautiful on her, but something about THIS nightgown stood out. It was a dark silver dress, with black lace lining the edges of it. It was a very deep 'v' with thin spaghetti straps. The dress came to about halfway down her thigh. Not too short, but not too long either.

Regina could see that he was staring, and it made her blush. "Robin…" She waved her hand to get his attention.

"My apologies. You just look…" he trailed off, blinking his eyes to make sure what he was seeing was real.

"Thank you." She grinned at him. "You can get dressed now. I'm just going to brush my teeth."

Reluctantly, Robin walked past her and into the closet. He changed into a pair of navy blue shorts, but kept his chest bare. He exited the closet and quickly brushed his teeth before meeting up with Regina in the bed.

He walked into the bedroom and saw Regina sitting on the bed, with her back leaned against the headboard. Robin made his way to his side of the bed and laid down. Regina sank down in the bed and wiggled herself over to Robin's side. Without saying anything, Robin just began kissing her. He pulled back for a moment to look into her eyes.

"My fiancé is stunning…" he grinned.

"As is mine," Regina trailed her fingers up his chest and to his shoulder. "You've never slept with your shirt off before… at least not when I've been here," she noted.

"Well I figured you looked absolutely gorgeous in that nightgown I had never seen you wear before, and that I should step up my pajama game too." He smirked and kissed her nose, then her lips. Regina brought her hand to his hair and ran her fingers through it. The kiss got more heated as seconds passed. Tongues battling for dominance, and lips pressing together.

Robin wrapped his arm around her waist and rolled her over onto her back, and laid himself on top of her. He ran his hands down her sides and back up. Regina could tell he was getting more passionate, and as much as she was enjoying it, she didn't want him to regret this decision later on. She wanted to help him keep his code, so she put her hands on top of his to stop him. She pulled her lips away from his. When she looked into his eyes, all she saw was confusion and disappointment.

"Wh-what's wrong?" Robin asked breathlessly.

"Robin… as much as I love this… as much as I WANT to do this… we can't. You have a code to live by, and I want to respect that," she answered.

"To hell with my code. I don't care about it anymore," he said eagerly.

"No Robin. You know deep down you do care about it. I'm not going to let you throw away this virtue you've worked so hard to maintain. I know right now you think what you want is to just give in, but later on I guarantee you'll have some feelings of regret. And I don't want that to happen," she commented honestly.

Robin sighed in frustration. He wasn't really upset, just disappointed. He knew she was right. He knew this was something he had worked so hard for, and the fact that she cared so much to help him made him feel so loved. "You're right," he whispered, and rolled off of her, covering his eyes with his hand in embarrassment.

Regina moved over next to him and moved his hand off of his face. "Don't you dare go feeling embarrassed or ashamed. You have absolutely nothing to feel ashamed of. In fact, just the opposite. You have so much to feel proud about. Don't forget that, especially right now." She propped herself up on her elbow and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "I'm proud of you. I have the strongest, wisest, and most amazing fiancé in the entire world. And I love you so much," she said lovingly.

Robin looked into her eyes and could tell she was telling the truth. He knew she meant what she was saying, and he knew he should believe her. He grinned softly before replying, "I love you more." He kissed her nose and she smiled.

Regina laid down and cuddled up next to him. They fell asleep in each other's embrace, and slept more peacefully than they ever had before.


	19. Chapter 19

The next morning was normal for the almost family. Regina woke up early for work. She went through her routine while Robin tended to Roland. Robin also made breakfast for his fiancé and himself. The couple ate breakfast together for the first time on a weekday in a while, because Regina wasn't running late. Eventually, the couple said their goodbyes and Regina headed off to her office.

As soon as Regina walked into her practice, Belle was jumping up and down in her seat. Regina tried to hide her smile as she walked up to the front desk. She liked Belle; in fact she considered Belle to be her only true friend, but at work Regina tried to remain professional and concentrated.

"Sooooooo?" Belle said giddily.

Regina lifted her head to face Belle's, and she couldn't hold back her smile any longer. Her face lit up and she immediately threw her left hand up and into Belle's waiting hand.

"Daaammmn. He did good! What is that like 6 carats?" Belle said excitedly.

"He definitely did. And no," she giggled, "it is not 6 carats. It is 3.03 carats, which is perfect," Regina replied gleefully. Regina smiled and tried to remain silent to let Belle speak again, but she was itching to know, "So how long ago did he speak to you about the proposal?"

"He called me about 2 weeks ago. He wanted to make sure he gave me enough time to reschedule your appointments and free up your day so you could leave. I do believe that's when he went to look for the ring also," Belle answered.

"Did he tell you everything or just what you needed to know?" Regina questioned.

"Well he wasn't going to tell me everything, but I think I annoyed him so much trying to get him to tell me, so he gave in," Belle laughed.

"I can see why he might've given in. You are very persistent at times."

"And that's wrong how? Being persistent has gotten me a lot of answers and possessions in life." Belle smirked.

"I never said it was wrong. I was just noting that it was a characteristic of yours." Regina winked. "Alright, well I'll tell you more about it all later. Maybe we can go get drinks tonight?"

"That sounds fantastic! I'd love to!" Belle was so thrilled. They'd spent time together before, but it was a rare occasion, especially since Robin came into Regina's life. So the fact that Regina asked her to go out made her extremely happy.

"Ok, great!" Regina smiled and walked back to her office.

Regina sat at her desk and logged onto her computer, all the while smiling. She loved being on the computer now, because typing gave her the chance to just stare at her gorgeous engagement ring. Robin really did do a good job. It fit her perfectly, and the size and shape of the diamond were ideal for the size of her finger. It was more than Regina could've ever asked for. The fact that he got her this ring was yet another example of his personality and character. He always spoils her and gives her more than she 'deserves'. Every time he gives her a gift, she is left speechless because he goes above and beyond what she asks for or what she expects. Although, she usually doesn't expect a gift because he gives most of his gifts on non-holiday day. Regina never thinks she can love Robin anymore, but each time he gives her an unexpected gift, she falls deeper in love.

Regina was taken out of her thoughts when she heard Belle speaking to her.

"Dr. Mills? Henry Jones is here for his physical," Belle informed

"Alright, I'll be right out. Could you walk him to the exam room please?" Regina requested.

"Sure," Belle sighed and walked out of the office.

Regina stood up from her desk chair and slipped on her white coat and wrapped her stethoscope around her neck and walked to the exam room.

"Good morning Henry," she said kindly as she entered the room.

"Good morning Dr. Mills," Henry replied.

"Where is your mother? Did she come with you?" Regina questioned.

"No ma'am. My father, Killian, dropped me off, but he'll be back. He had to go take my little sister to gymnastics," Henry answered.

"Oh, well that's not a problem!" She smiled at the boy before continuing. "So you're in for a physical? Are you playing a sport this fall?" She asked, because physicals usually only happen for kids when they have some sort of activity they're doing that requires one.

"Yes ma'am. I'm gonna play baseball." Henry was being such a gentleman and so respectful with his responses. 'He must be trained well by his parents,' Regina thought to herself.

"Well that sounds like a lot of fun!" She replied excitedly.

"Alright first let's go weigh you, and then we'll measure your height. Sound good?" She asked.

Henry nodded and stood up from the chair he was in and followed Regina to the scale.

"Alright, step up on here for me," Regina said to Henry, while pointing over to the scale. She waited a few seconds for the device to calculate the boy's weight before she recorded it.

"101.3," Regina read aloud. "A very healthy weight for boy your age," she added.

Henry gave a halfhearted smile as he stepped off the scale. You could tell he really didn't want to be at the doctor's, let alone a pediatrician's office. He was 13 years old, and felt like he was way too old and cool to be at a doctor for 'babies'.

"Now follow me over here to the height chart," Regina waved her hand, urging him to come with her.

They walked a few feet over to the height chart. "Stand right up against the wall and make sure you're standing straight and not slouched over," she stated.

Henry did as she said, and waited patiently for her to read the chart.

"5 feet 9 inches," Regina stated before writing it down in his chart. "Wow you've grown so much since your last visit." She smiled at him, but could tell Henry just wanted to get this visit over with. She chuckled to herself quietly at how bored Henry looked. "Well come with me back to the exam room. I have just a few more things to do and then you're free to go."

"Ok," He said briefly

They walked into the exam and Henry sat up on the table. Regina checked his breathing, ears, eyes, and throat. Then she had him lift his shirt so she could check his spine and stomach. She awkwardly had to have him lay down on the exam table so she could check lower regions of his body. She was sure to make that quick, because she could tell he felt uncomfortable. She quickly moved on to the reflex check, and last but not least, she took his blood pressure. Right before she finished, Killian Jones walked in.

Regina turned around to see him walking in the exam room. "Oh Mr. Jones! Nice to see you!"

"You too! It's been a little bit since we've been here last. How have you been?" Killian asked.

"I've been doing great. I got engaged yesterday." She practically glowed as she spoke.

"Oh wow! That's wonderful! Congratulations," the accented man replied.

"Thank you," Regina retorted. "Well we are just finishing up. He's free to go. You can just go check in with Belle and pay, and then you're all set."

"Awesome! Thank you," Killian said.

Regina smiled and they walked their separate ways. Regina went back to her office to check her phone. When she looked at her screen she saw Robin had texted her.

' _Good morning my lovely fiancé. I do hope your day is going swiftly. I just wanted to let you know I'm going to go on a walk in the park with Roland. I can't wait to see you when you get home. :)'_

She smiled brightly at his text. She missed him already. She had gotten so spoiled being able to spend time with him and Roland pretty much nonstop for two weeks.

' _That sounds like a very relaxing day. I hope you two enjoy yourselves. :) I actually won't be home until about 8. I told Belle I'd go to dinner with her tonight. Hopefully you can handle an extra three hours without me… although I'm not sure I'll be able to handle it ;)'_ She replied.

Regina set her phone back down on her desk and went on to her next appointment. She had about four more patients that day. Another physical, two colds, and one baby's 6 month checkup.

When the work day was over, she went back to her office, rid herself of her coat and stethoscope and grabbed her belongings. She walked out to the front desk and saw Belle putting away the last few files for the day.

"You ready to go?" Regina asked.

"Yep! Just give me one second, I need to finish filling out this one chart, then I'll be done," Belle replied.

"No rush," Regina said.

Belle finished writing in the chart and she slipped it in its proper place before turning off the desk lamp and grabbing her stuff. The two women walked out of the office and to their respective cars.

"So is Legends okay to go to?" Regina questioned.

"Yeah, absolutely! I'll meet you there," Belle answered.

When they arrived, they walked in together and walked up to a high top table and sat down. A waiter came up immediately to take their orders.

"What can I get for you ma'am?" the waiter asked Regina.

"Oh, I'll take a French Martini, please," she answered.

"And for you?" he asked Belle.

"I'd like a Mai Tai, please," she replied.

The waiter wrote down their orders and walked away.

"So tell me the story, I want to know everything!" Belle requested excitedly.

Regina laughed at how eager Belle was to know. "Well apparently you already know some of it, but I'll just explain everything that happened after I left the office. So I received my first note and flower while I was still at work, and it instructed me to go get my nails done. After I got my nails done, I went to go pay, but apparently he had already paid, and instead they gave me my next note and flower. This note told me to get my hair done. So I did as it said and went to the salon. Once again, he had already paid, and they gave me my final card and rose. It told me to meet him at our 'I love you' spot, which obviously I remembered. So I drove there. It seemed like the longest 20 minute drive of my life, but eventually I arrived. I walked up to it and as I walked up, there he was standing in the most attractive outfit ever. Khaki dress pants, a light pink button up with a navy bow tie with hot pink polka dots, and a blue jacket. He was holding Roland, who was also dressed like that, and they were standing among dozens and dozens of rose petals, just like he had done when he told me he loved me." She smiled at the memory. "I walked over to him with tears in my eyes and my hand over my mouth. I was literally in shock. It was unexpected in many ways, but also not… It's hard to explain." She laughed and then the waiter walked up with their drinks. Regina paused her story until he walked away. She and Belle both took a sip of their drinks before she continued. "Anyways, so I walked up to him and he said some of the sweetest things ever. He then knelt down on one knee and asked me to not only be his wife, but be Roland's mother. I could not stop crying and smiling. But I somehow managed to get out an overly excited 'yes' before he slipped my ring on. I honestly didn't even notice the ring for a while. I was just so captivated by him and by the event that just took place, the ring was the last thing on my mind. But then he asked me what I thought so of course I looked at it. Then he gave me a huge bouquet of roses." She stopped as the story came to an end.

Belle was smiling so much. "Regina, you are such a blessed woman! And I am so happy for you. You deserve this happiness, and this love. You've been through so much, and it's about damn time something like this came about," she said genuinely. "I just really hope I can find a guy as wonderful as Robin," she laughed, as did Regina. "He's incredible."

"That he is. I'm very blessed to have him. I honestly don't know what he sees in me," Regina said.

"Well among the many spectacular qualities you possess, I think maybe he was just looking for a second chance at life. His whole life has been dedicated to school and work, and not about truly being happy. So I believe maybe he saw a chance to be happy with you and to have that happy life, and decided to take it. And once he got to know you, maybe he felt like you deserved a second chance too," Belle commented.

Regina was genuinely moved by what Belle just said. "I honestly never thought of it like that before. But I think you might be right."

"I am so happy for you! And I'm SO excited for this wedding!" Belle said gleefully. "Have you thought about what you want to do for it?"  
"We haven't talked about it much yet. But I've always wanted a Christmas wedding. It just seems so romantic. And even though that would only give us 4 months to plan it, I'm not worried. It'll be a relatively small wedding. Neither he nor I have that many people we'd invite. We kind of just want it to be small and private," Regina responded. "BUT I do know one thing I'd like to happen…" she trailed off.

"And what's that?" Belle asked.

"I was wondering if you'd be my maid of honor. Well actually you will be my only bridesmaid…." Regina said.

Belle's eyes lit up and she almost spilled her drink because she jumped out of her chair. "Regina! I'd absolutely love to! You don't know how much it means to me that you asked."

Regina was finally able to relax. She was so thrilled that Belle said yes. "Belle, you are such a wonderful employee, but you're an even better friend. You're really my only friend, but I couldn't have asked for anyone better," Regina smiled.

"I could say the exact same about you, Regina. You've been such a wonderful boss and best friend to me. I love you, and I can't wait to be in your wedding!"

"I love you too. I'm thrilled you agreed to be in my wedding."

The two friends finished up their drinks and continued to gush over wedding ideas and the like. They left the bar around 7:30, and Regina arrived home a little before 8.

She walked into the apartment and saw Robin had fallen asleep on the couch. Before she went to him, she went to check on Roland in his room. She walked in and saw him lying on his belly with his thumb in his mouth. He was sound asleep. Regina smiled at the precious sight before turning around and heading to the living room.

She walked to the couch and knelt beside it so she was closer to Robin's head. She combed through his hair gently with her fingers and kissed his temple. She wasn't really trying to wake him up, but she was excited when she saw his eyes flutter open.

"Hey babe," he said, his voice low and tired sounding.

"Hey. I'm sorry I didn't mean to wake you," she said softly.

"No, it's quite alright. I'm actually glad you woke me. I missed seeing your gorgeous face," he said in his unmistakable British accent.

Regina blushed and kissed his lips gently. "I missed seeing you too." She kissed him again. "Did you eat dinner?" she asked lovingly.

He nodded his head. "Mhmm. I made myself some macaroni and cheese. It's about the only thing I know how to cook," he replied.

"Okay, good. I couldn't have my fiancé starving to death, so I just wanted to make sure you ate." She smiled so big. That smile had been a rare thing for so long, but the moment Robin entered her life, she found it hard not to smile like that. He made her want to smile forever. She reached her hand to his and interlaced their fingers. "You look tired. Why don't you come to bed?"

Robin just nodded and stood up slowly. They walked to their room. Robin was already in his pajamas so he went straight to the bed and waited for Regina to change. Regina went to the closet and put on a set of light blue shorts and tank top. She made her way over to the bed and laid down next to her fiancé. She cuddled up into his side and he curled an arm around her tiny waist and stroked her arm lightly with his fingertips.

"I love you, Regina," Robin whispered into her ear.

"I love you to, Robin," she replied.

Regina rubbed his chest soothingly as they began drifting off into sleep. Before Robin feel asleep, he leaned over and captured Regina's lips in a passionate kiss, taking her by surprise. When the need for air was too overwhelming he pulled back.

Neither of them said anything afterwards. Robin laid his head back down on his pillow, and Regina's head resumed its position on his shoulder. They fell asleep like that, and didn't wake until morning.


	20. Chapter 20

It was Saturday morning and Regina woke up first. Excitement built up so much inside her, that sleeping was close to impossible. She was getting a new car today, AND she was getting to decorate Roland's nursery, finally. She sat up in the bed and looked over at Robin. He was lying flat on his stomach with his mouth wide open and drool slowly dripping onto his pillow. He was also snoring quietly. Regina found all of those things somehow attractive. She loved watching him sleep, and this morning she really didn't want to wake him, but then again she REALLY wanted to wake him and get their day started.

She nudged his shoulder lightly to no avail. She tried shaking him a little harder, still nothing. Then she thought of something… a kiss. He could never miss out on a kiss, and she was certain this would work. She leaned down and pressed her lips against his. Within seconds she felt her fiancé's lips begin to kiss back. It worked! Regina began laughing as they kissed and Robin pulled away.

"What's so funny?" he asked groggily.

"Oh nothing…" she replied.

"Uh-uh I know it's not nothing. Tell me," Robin urged.

"You're just adorable." She continued to laugh.

"Yes, but you've said that to me many times before, but this is the first time you've laughed about it. There must be something you're leaving out," he said, his voice still sounding tired.

"Well apparently the only way to wake you up is by kissing you," she informed.

Robin laughed.

"See I'm not the only one who think's its funny," Regina commented.

"Well I apologize that you had to kiss me to wake me up. I do hope you weren't scarred for life by doing so," he joked.

"Oh yeah, it took a lot of courage to have to kiss those lips," she winked. She leaned back down to his lips and kissed him. "Man, that was just horrible," she said as she moved away from his lips. "Just horrible," she joked.

Regina started to move off the bed, but Robin stood up on his knees and tackled her onto the bed. "Oh really? It's that horrible? Well maybe I just need practice," he smirked before slamming his lips onto hers. He was forceful, but not in a rude or harmful way; just passionate. He slipped his tongue to touch her bottom lip, to which she opened her mouth in response. A minute or two later he pulled his lips off of hers and smirked down at her. "Was that any better?"

"Still rusty. You might need a lot more practice before our wedding night," she said jokingly, but it sounded a little too serious.

Robin's eyes widened. Regina put her hands behind his neck and tried to bring his face back down to meet hers, but Robin slipped his head out from her hands and sat up all the way. Regina could see the hurt in his eyes.

"Robin, you know I didn't mean it like that…"

Robin didn't say a word. He got out of bed and began walking to his closet. Regina quickly followed after him and tried to grab his hand but he yanked it away from her. He walked into his closet and slammed the door. If there was one thing Robin Locksley couldn't stand for people to joke about, it was his virginity. While he took it seriously, and wanted to be faithful to his code, it still bothered him if people made joking references to it. Even though he knew Regina wasn't being serious, it still felt demeaning.

Regina walked up to his closet door, which was now locked, and knocked gently. "Robin, please open up," she requested, but got no response. "Look I'm sorry… I was just trying to play along with you, but I took it too far. Please, just hear me out," she pleaded.

The whole time she spoke, Robin was sitting on the floor of his closet with his back pressed up against the door. He heard what she was saying, but his insecurities got to him and he couldn't get himself to respond.

Eventually, Regina left him alone. She walked into her closet (there were two closets, one for him and one for her) and got dressed. Today, she wore a pair of skinny jeans, a long-sleeved black blouse, and her favorite tan boots. She fixed her hair and makeup and then went to check on Roland.

She walked into his room and the boy was laying almost identical to the way Robin had been earlier that morning. The only difference was, Roland had his thumb in his mouth. She slowly picked him up, and as she did so he started whimpering.

"Shh, it's okay. It's okay. Momma's here." She smiled when she said that. She'd heard Robin reference her as Roland's mother, but she had never really said it herself. She leaned Roland against her shoulder and he nuzzled his face into her neck. "I know you're tired buddy. I'm sorry we're waking you up." She gently patted his back as she walked over to the bed and put him down.

When she put him down, she reached over to the nightstand to grab a fresh diaper and some wipes. When she brought her attention back to the child, she saw he had his tiny hands rubbing against his eyes. She smiled at the adorable sight. "Poor baby. I'm so sorry I woke you up." She changed his diaper as quick as she could so she could just hold him. 'Maybe we shouldn't go out today,' she thought to herself. The morning wasn't going how she thought it would. She woke up excited, and now she felt regretful. Regretful for hurting Robin and for waking up a sleepy child.

She picked Roland up and rested him on her shoulder as she walked into the kitchen. She saw Robin leaning on the counter by the coffee maker waiting for his coffee to finish brewing. She put Roland in his highchair and walked over to Robin.

"Robin I didn't mean to be insensitive," she said honestly.

Robin just kept staring straight ahead and didn't bring his attention to her. He kept silent.

"So you're just going to ignore me the rest of the day over something you and I both know wasn't meant to be taken seriously?" she asked frustrated.

Robin sighed and turned around to face the coffee maker. He began fixing his coffee the way he likes it, still completely ignoring Regina.

Regina forcefully grabbed his hand and pulled it away from his mug and turned him to face her. He was now facing her but his eyes were nowhere near looking into hers.

"Robin! Look at me," he didn't respond. "Look. At. Me." He slowly moved his eyes to look at her, but she could tell he felt uncomfortable.

"What?!" He yelled at her. "What could you possibly have left to say?"

Regina stepped back a little bit, shocked that he was yelling at her over this. "Robin, I'm sorry! How many times do I have to say it?" Tears began flowing from her eyes. "I shouldn't have joked about it. I know that. But honestly it was just a joke. You've got to believe that. You are my fiancé, the love of my life, I would never say something like that and mean it." She moved back to where she had been and placed her hands on his cheeks. She looked into his eyes lovingly. "Do you believe that I love you?"

He nodded his head.

"Do you believe that I respect you and your choices?" she asked.

He nodded again.

"And do you believe that I would ever intentionally say something like that to hurt you?"

He shook his head.

"Okay then. Can we put this behind us? Can we move forward and enjoy our day with our son?" She smiled when she said 'our son' and could see a small grin on his face as well. "Is that a yes?"

"Yes," he replied quietly.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. "I love you, my soon-to-be husband," she spoke into his neck.

"I love you too, my soon-to-be wife," he replied.

They remained in their embrace for a few more moments before Roland became fussy. Regina chuckled lightly. "Our little man is a hungry fella." She left the warm embrace of her fiancé and walked toward the cabinet with Roland's things in it. She picked up a jar of applesauce and pulled a baby spoon out of the silverware drawer. She walked over to the highchair and sat down in a chair in front of it.

"While I feed him, could you make me a cup of coffee, please?" she asked Robin.

"Sure, my love. What can I get for you?" he asked.

"I don't care. Surprise me," she smirked.

Robin grabbed his old k-cup out of the machine and threw it away and put a new one in its place. He once again waited for the coffee to brew before adding the cream and sugar. He walked over and sat next to Regina and placed her coffee mug on the table.

"I hope the caramel drizzle coffee is okay. I know how much you like caramel, and I bought this new coffee yesterday and thought I'd let you try it out," he informed.

"I'm sure it's wonderful," she smiled and turned her face towards him. "Thank you." He leaned down and kissed her lips gently before she had to get back to feeding the baby.

Roland was a messy eater. Every time he took a bite, he'd spit some of it back out and it would get all over his face. So after every bite, Regina had to maneuver the spoon around his lips to get the excess food off of his mouth.

When the jar was empty, Regina wiped the child's face with a wipe and handed Robin the jar and spoon to put away.

"You ready to go, my love?" Robin asked Regina.

"Absolutely," Regina replied excitedly.

She poured her coffee into a travel mug and picked Roland back up to place him in his carrier. She grabbed her purse and Robin grabbed his wallet and keys, then the little family walked out of the penthouse and headed for the car dealership.

Once they parked, Regina and Robin quickly got out and Robin got Roland's carrier out of the car. They walked around outside and looked at the various cars.

After spending a about an hour and a half looking at all the cars, Regina narrowed it down to two cars. A black Chevrolet Suburban XL or a Silver GMC Yukon XL. They looked pretty similar on the outside, other than the color, but the insides were a little different.

Regina stood there looking at her two options. She kept going back in forth and looking inside each car, and test driving them both. She couldn't make up her mind.

"Which one do you want babe?" Robin asked.

Regina sighed. "I can't decide! It's such a hard decision."

"Well I will remind you that dirt is more obvious on darker colored cars. If that helps make up your mind at all," the car dealer spoke up.

Regina stood there and thought it through for a few minutes. "I guess you make a good point." She kept thinking for a little while longer before she finally made up her mind. "Okay, you've convinced me. I'm going to go with the GMC." She smiled.

"Wonderful! Well why don't we get inside and talk numbers and get you out of here with a new car!" the dealer said happily.

Regina and Robin nodded, and took each other's hands as they followed the man inside his office.

All of them sat down, and the dealer set out all the paper work they needed to fill out.

"Okay, so you're wanting to trade in your current car, is that correct?" he asked.

"Yes, that's correct," Regina replied.

"What kind of car is it?" he questioned.

"An Audi R8." Regina laughed slightly, because she knew it was slightly absurd that she'd be trading in such an amazing car.

"Wow! Can I ask what's making you trade it in?" he asked.

"Well, we just recently got engaged, and he already has an Audi R8, and we have our son, and most likely will be adding to the family within the next few years. So we really need a car that's larger and can fit more people and things in it."

"That makes complete sense. Well congratulations on the engagement. And might I say, your son is precious," the dealer commented.

"Thank you," Robin and Regina both replied.

The dealer got some more information from them about Regina's car and then he calculated some things before informing Regina and Robin.

"Well it's going to be a pretty even trade. With the Audi being a few years old, and it being a much smaller car, the tradeoff between it and the GMC is relatively equal. Now obviously, there will still be some down payment today and also a monthly payment until the car is paid off," the dealer said.

He continued to figure out a reasonable price for Regina and Robin, and the dealership itself. After about another 2 hours, everything was worked out. The dealer took the keys from Regina's Audi and gave them the keys to their new GMC.

Before they drove off, Regina got all of her belongings out of her old car and neatly put them in the trunk of their new car.

Robin was the one to drive their new car home. As they drove, they constantly admired how smooth the car drove and how beautiful the inside was. It had the tan leather seats that Regina loved. There was a strip of gorgeous wood that stretched across the dashboard of the car, and a radio system that was on the dashboard in between the driver's and passenger's seats. One of both Regina and Robin's favorite parts of it all was the new car smell. It was intoxicating, and Regina prayed the smell would stay for a long time.

It was right around 2:30 in the afternoon when they arrived back home. It was way past time for Roland to be fed and put down for a nap, so Regina quickly did all of that before meeting back up with Robin in the living room.

She came and sat down beside him on the couch and leaned against his shoulder, nuzzling her forehead into the crook of his neck. Robin put his arm around her and held her close to his side, and gently rubbed up and down her arm.

"Robin?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, my love?"

"When are we going to get married?" she asked innocently.

Robin chuckled lightly. "I don't know babe. When do you want to get married?"

"I don't know," she replied briefly. "I don't want to wait a long time." She lifted her head and looked at him. Her eyes widened as a brilliant idea came to her mind. "What about a Christmas wedding?"

Robin smiled widely. "That sounds like an incredible idea!" He replied enthusiastically. "Is that enough time for you to plan the wedding you want?"

"It's perfect. I don't need a big wedding. I could get married right now, with no décor or anything and be perfectly happy. But 4 months gives me enough time to make the day even more special for us both." She grinned. "So have we agreed then?" she asked excitedly.

"I believe we have! All we need to do now is pick a specific date," Robin replied.

Regina pulled her phone out of her pocket and looked at December's calendar. "How about December 19th?"

"Sounds absolutely perfect! As long as I can finally call you my wife on that date, I'll be thrilled." He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"I can't wait for the day!" Regina smiled and hugged her fiancé tight.

They sat there on the couch embracing each other as they watched TV. Then Regina remembered. She quickly lifted her head off of his shoulder and looked at him.

"Robin, we forgot we were going to go nursery shopping today…" she said disappointedly.

"Oh, you're right!" Robin replied. "Why don't we go tomorrow? We can just relax the rest of the day today and take care of Roland, and tomorrow we will go shopping for his nursery."

Regina laid her head back on. "Okay," is all she said. She was content just sitting her on the couch with Robin, and relaxing for the rest of the day. And it also gave them something fun and exciting to do together tomorrow.

The rest of the day went just as they had planned. The couple relaxed on the couch until Roland woke up from his nap. They played with him and laughed and enjoyed each other's company. Dinner was eaten around 6:30, and Roland was in bed again by 7pm. Regina and Robin put their pajamas on and sat in the living room watching TV and fantasizing about their wedding until about 11pm.

Regina had fallen asleep with her head in Robin's lap, and Robin was loath to move her. So he sat there on the couch until about 11:30pm. Then he slowly moved her head off his lap, and stood up. He lifted her into his arms, and carried her to their bedroom. He laid her down and covered her with her blanket before slipping into bed next to her. He gently wrapped his arms around her and cuddled up next to her. He felt her move her arms around his waist.

"Goodnight, Robin," she whispered.

"Goodnight Regina," he whispered back. He pressed his lips to her forehead and kissed her softly. "I love you."

Regina yawned before replying, "I love you too." She closed her eyes and drifted off into a deep sleep. Robin followed suit not long after, and they remained asleep, in each other's arms, until the next morning.


	21. Chapter 21

The following day the couple took Roland and went shopping for the nursery. Regina fawned over pretty much everything- she wanted to buy it all, from baby clothing to room décor. Luckily, Robin was with her to help keep her from going crazy and spending unnecessary amounts of money.

Regina had found the exact bedding she wanted to use online so she went ahead and ordered it. So since that was taken care of, the main things they needed to purchase today were paint, a crib, dresser, changing table, and whatever décor they found.

So their first stop of the day was to Lowe's. Regina picked out the colors she wanted for the walls- a gallon of light grey paint, a quart of light blue paint, and a quart of white paint. Meanwhile, she sent Robin to go find some painter's tape. Robin also grabbed a few pans to pour the paint onto, and her grabbed two paint rollers and a smaller paint brush. After he got everything he needed to, he met back up with Regina at the front of the store. She had Roland in his carrier and she placed the carrier inside the shopping cart along with the paint cans.

They checked out and then drove to their next destination- Babies "R" Us. Regina immediately rushed towards the baby clothes. She went crazy and picked out a whole cart's worth of clothing before Robin even had time to process what she was doing. But when he finally did, his eyes widened.

"Babe, what in the world is all of this?" he asked.

Regina laughed. "Well he does need clothes. He's grown out of most of the clothes he has."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean we need to buy every piece of clothing in this store," he answered.

Regina immediately turned on her puppy dog face. "Come on babe… it's not like we don't have the money. And plus, I'm buying various sizes so he can grow into them all. It'll save us time and money later on." She opened her eyes wide and stuck out her lips as if she were pouting.

Robin sighed. "Fine. But no more clothes shopping. We are only buying what you've picked out so far. The rest of our money needs to be spent on stuff for his room," he stated mater-of-factly. "Let's go look at furniture."

Regina nodded and the little family made their way to the furniture department. They spent a while walking around and observing the different options. Regina knew she wanted white furniture, but there were several styles to pick from. Eventually they decided on one of them. It was your typical crib. A simple white rectangle crib. They also picked out a matching white dresser and changing table. There also happened to be a grey chair with an ottoman in the furniture department. Regina immediately added it to her list of items to order when she checked out.

Roland began to get fussy so Robin picked him up out of his carrier.

"I think he's hungry. I'm gonna go sit in the car with him and feed him, while you finish up in here. Is that ok?" he asked.

"Sure babe. I'll be out shortly," Regina replied.

Robin leaned forward and kissed her quickly before making his way out of the store.

Regina continued shopping and picked out various decorations for the nursery. She found some cute light blue pillows and a few stuffed animals.

After about another 30 minutes of shopping, Regina made her way to the registers. She ordered the furniture and was told it would take about 5-7 business days until it arrived. She gave them the address to Robin's penthouse, and then proceeded to pay for the rests of the items she had picked out. She walked out to the car and saw Roland was sound asleep in his carrier, and Robin had his seat reclined and was also asleep.

Regina quickly took out her phone and snapped a picture of her sleeping boys before quietly putting all of the shopping bags in the car and hopping in the driver's seat.

As much as she wanted to keep shopping and get everything for the nursery today, she knew her boys needed to get home. So she drove home.

When she parked, she got out of the car and the door accidently shut hard, waking Robin up. He slowly got out of the car as well and walked behind their SUV and saw Regina was getting the bags out of the car.

"Babe, you didn't have to stop shopping now. Didn't you have a few more places you needed to go?" he asked.

"I know I didn't have to, but you and Roland were sleeping so peacefully and were such good sports all day, that I figured I should reward you and let you come home to rest," she smiled as she spoke.

Robin smiled in response. "Well I appreciate it. You wore me out," he joked.

Regina laughed. "Shopping will do that to you," she smirked. "Now go get our son out of the car and take him inside. I'll be up in a minute. I just need to grab these bags."

"Babe let me get these bags. There's a lot of them and they're heavy," he offered, but she gave him a look. "Regina… let me take these. You go get Roland," he said with a sterner voice.

Regina gave in and released her hands from the bags and let Robin take them. She walked over to the side of the car and opened the back door. She reached in and carefully lifted Roland out of his car seat and laid him against her chest. She rubbed his back gently as she walked into the building. She made her way up to the penthouse and when she arrived, she sat down on the couch.

Robin came in not long after her, and set all of the bags down on the kitchen counter.

"Babe," he whispered. "What should I do with all of this?"

"Well I was thinking we could lay Roland down in our room, and we can start painting during his nap time," she responded.

"Sounds good to me. I'll go move his playpen into our room and then I'll move the furniture away from the walls so we can paint," Robin stated before making his way into guest bedroom.

Robin carried the playpen into his and Regina's bedroom and set it up so Regina could bring Roland in and lay him down. Before he went back to the guest bedroom he walked back to Regina.

"Alright, the playpen is all set up. You can lay him down now." He leaned over the back of the couch and kissed Regina's head while gently rubbing Roland's head with his fingertips. "He's a sleep boy," He whispered.

"Indeed," she replied briefly. She stood up and walked to the bedroom and laid Roland down carefully. She kissed his temple gently before walking out of the room.

When she walked into the guest bedroom, Robin had all the painting stuff ready to go. He had tape lined against the baseboards and the doorframes, and the paint was poured into the pans.

Regina walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his back. Robin placed his hands on top of hers and smiled.

"Robin…" she said quietly.

"Yes, my love?" he questioned.

"You know what is coming up next month? Well there are two things…" she trailed.

"Well I know Roland's first birthday is on the 19th of September. I'm not sure about the second one… care to help me?" he replied.

"September 27th marks 6 months that we will have been together," she says excitedly.

"Really?! Oh god, Regina I'm sorry for not remembering that!" He felt so bad. It was a big anniversary- one he should've remembered.

Regina walked around to face him. "Robin, you've been quite preoccupied in the past 2 months. I don't blame you for forgetting," she said sweetly. "In fact, I'm surprised I even remembered," she laughed.

Robin kissed her softly. "6 months? Already? It feels like only a few days ago, you walked into my office looking all sexy," he smirked.

She playfully slapped his shoulder. "I know. It doesn't seem like it's been that long. At least not in comparison to how long we will be together." She smiled up at him. "Because I plan on being with you for the rest of my life."

"And I you, Regina," he replied.

They shared another kiss before they remembered what they originally came into that room to do- paint. Regina gave Robin specific instructions of what he was to paint. She told him he could help her paint all of the walls grey, but she was going to be the one to add the design on the accent wall.

The couple spent about 3 hours painting every inch of the wall space in that room. Regina took a break halfway through to check on Roland, but he was surprisingly still sound asleep.

Once all the walls were painted grey, the couple had to stop for the day. Regina had to wait for the walls to dry before she could add the design. So they ate a snack and rested on the couch. Not long after, they heard cries coming from their bedroom. She got up and made her way towards the noise. When she walked in, she saw Roland was standing up in the playpen with his hands gripped tightly around the edges of the playpen.

"Oh, well hello big guy! Hello," she cooed. "Are you ready to get out? Do you want Momma to get you out?" She reached her arms down and lifted him up to rest on her hip. He immediately started to calm down. "Let's go see daddy." She walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen where she saw Robin was preparing a jar of food for Roland to eat.

"There's daddy. There he is!" She smiled towards her fiancé and held Roland out to him. "Go see daddy."

Robin grabbed his son and lifted him in the air a few times, causing the child to laugh adorably. "There's that laugh. There's that laugh momma and daddy adore," Robin said happily. He lifted Roland up high in the air again, and when he brought him back down, he kissed his cheeks a few times before resting him on his hip.

Regina was so in awe of her fiancé and how good he was with Roland. He was such a natural at caring for kids. He may not think so, but Regina knows so. She's witnessed it with her own eyes.

Regina was taken out of her thoughts when Robin asked her to get something.

"What?" she asked him.

Robin chuckled. "I asked you to get a bib out of the drawer."

"Oh, sorry. I got lost in thought," she replied as she retrieved a bib out of the baby drawer.

"I noticed," Robin joked.

Robin fed the boy while Regina made Robin and herself some macaroni and cheese. It was simple, tasty, and easy to make, which was exactly the kind of meal Regina and Robin wanted tonight.

By the time Roland finished his baby food, Regina was just about done making the macaroni and cheese. She added in the milk, butter and cheese powder and stirred it up until it was well mixed.

She made her and Robin's plates and got them sodas out of the fridge. Robin placed Roland in his exersaucer before joining Regina at the table.

They quickly ate their food so they could spend some more time with Roland. When they finished eating, Robin brought their dishes to the sink and rinsed them, while Regina brought Roland into the living room. She laid Roland down on his stomach on the ground and put a few toys in front of him.

Robin walked in and sat down across from Regina. The couple sat there and watched their son play and giggle at the funny noises coming out of his toys, when all of a sudden, they saw him holding onto the coffee table and standing. It looked as if he was about to try to walk.

"Robin… go get your phone… QUICKLY," Regina said eagerly.

Robin immediately hopped up and ran to the kitchen and grabbed his phone. He slid the camera up and swiped to the video feature. He pressed the red button and aimed the camera toward Roland.

"Roland, come see Momma. Come here," Regina urged.

Roland just looked at her unsure and smiled. He bounced up and down a few times.

"Come on buddy, go see you Momma. Walk to her," Robin encouraged.

Almost as if Roland could understand his parents, he took his first step. He slowly let go of the coffee table and took another step. He was wobbly, very wobbly, but he was still walking. Regina could tell he probably wouldn't make it very far, so she scooched closer and held out her arms.

"You're so close. Come on big guy! You can do it!" Regina was so excited.

Roland took two more wobbly steps and fell down. Regina caught him and quickly brought him to her chest and embraced him.

"Oh goodness! You're are getting so big!" She cheered. She turned to Robin, and saw he still had the phone up. "Did you get it?"

Robin put the phone down, and she saw tears in his eyes. "Indeed I did," he said weakly.

Regina knew what was going through his mind. She stood up and walked toward him and pressed her forehead to his. "She would be so proud of him," she whispered, to which Robin just nodded.

They hadn't talked much about Marian in a while. It was easiest on everyone that way. But events like this just reminded them of her absence.

Robin slipped his hands underneath Roland's armpits and lifted him out of Regina's arms. "Come here big guy," he grinned. "I am so proud of you buddy! I can't believe how big and strong you are!" Robin was smiling from ear to ear now. He leaned Roland up against his shoulder and just hugged him tight.

The little family spent the rest of the evening just fawning over Roland, and his adorableness. They tried to get him to walk some more, but didn't get much out of him.

When it was time to go to bed, they laid him down in his playpen in their bedroom, because they didn't want the paint fumes to overwhelm him. Robin laid Roland down while Regina changed into her pajamas. When she finished, she crawled into bed and waited for Robin to join her.

Within a few minutes, Robin crawled onto the bed and over to Regina. They laid down next to each other, laying face to face. Robin had his arms around her waist, and Regina had her head laying in the crook of his neck.

"You know what I've been thinking?" Robin asked softly.

"Hmm?" Regina hummed in question.

"You've been staying over every night for the past few weeks, and you've continually had to go get more clothes from your apartment…" he trailed.

"Mhmm…" she hummed again in agreement.

"What would you say if I asked you to move in with me?"

Regina lifted her head slightly and smiled at him. Then she laid her head back down and got comfy again. "I'd love that," she said quietly.

Robin grinned and kissed the top of her head. "Good, because I'd love that too."

Regina pressed her lips to his bare chest and smiled. "Thank you for finally asking," she stated.

Robin brought his eyes to meet her gaze. "What are you talking about? Were you waiting for me to ask?"

"Well yeah. I'm not just gonna invite myself to live with you. That'd be inconsiderate," she spoke softly.

"I still wish you would've said something. I mean it's not like I was gonna say no. You've technically already moved in, because you've been sleeping here for the past month or so," he chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. But still… I'm glad you finally asked." Regina yawned after speaking. "Let's get some rest. We've both got to go back to work tomorrow."

"Goodnight my love," Robin said. He leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Goodnight babe," she replied as she shut her eyes.


	22. Chapter 22

The day Robin, and Regina for that matter, had dreaded for the past month or so finally came. The day he had to go back to work and leave Roland with a nanny. Regina had spoken to Grace Jefferson and made arrangements for her to be Roland's nanny until he became old enough for school. Robin is good friends with Michael Jefferson, Grace's father, and Michael had mentioned how his daughter had graduated from college that summer and wanted a nanny job until she could find a job in a local school. So now that Robin is in need of a nanny, he made sure to talk to Regina about offering the job to Grace.

The couple woke up bright and early for work that day. Both were relatively well rested. Now that Roland was close to a year old, he slept through the night on most occasions, and last night was one of those nights, and his parents were very happy. Robin got ready quickly and took responsibility of taking care of Roland that morning while his fiancé finished getting ready. Grace was scheduled to show up at 7am, which was about 45 minutes away. Robin set Roland down in his highchair while he made some baby oatmeal. He proceeded to feed his son while Regina was STILL in the bathroom applying her makeup.

While Robin loved it when his fiancé wore makeup, he still never understood why she felt like she had to wear it. He'd grown accustomed to her being makeup free in the past few days, and he truly loved it. Though she disagreed, Regina was simply flawless. Her skin was smooth like porcelain, with touches of red naturally glowing from her cheeks. Her lips were a pale pink color, and shined without the assistance of lipstick or lip gloss. Her eyes were Robin's favorite feature. He loved looking into her chocolate brown eyes, and seeing how the light catches her eyes and makes them shine even more. Her eyebrows were structured perfectly, curving above her eyelids. Regina was very OCD, and her eyebrows had to always be clean, without any stray hairs. Robin found it funny when he watched her plucking her eyebrows. She looked so intense, and so precise with her actions, characteristics that defined her in her entirety too. She's a very intense and precise person, in almost every aspect of life, and Robin loves that about her.

While Robin was feeding Roland and Regina was getting ready, Niles arrived. It had been a few weeks since he was last year. With everything going on with Robin and his family, Robin gave Niles a paid leave until he could get settled into this new life he's acquired. But now that Robin was going back to work, he brought him back to work. Niles used his own key and entered the penthouse. He immediately came to Robin.

"Niles! It's so good to see you! Welcome back," Robin said excitedly.

"It's good to be back, sir." He smiled. "So you go back to work today as well, correct?" he asked.

"Indeed," Robin replied. "Look, I apologize for giving you such a long leave. I just needed some time to adjust to my new life."

"No need to apologize, sir. I understand," Niles said honestly.

Robin smiled and continued to feed his son. "So since you've been gone for so long, this house has acquired so much dust and dirt. So it will need quite a bit of attention. But don't feel like you have to get everything done today. Also, we have hired a nanny to take care of Roland while we work, and she'll be here all day everyday for the most part, unless she takes Roland out and about. Her name is Grace. She'll be here shortly, so I'll introduce you to her so you can become acquainted," Robin informed.

"Wonderful. I'll just be gathering supplies for the day. So come and get me when the misses arrives," Niles bowed slightly (something he'd been taught to do as a butler) and walked off to the laundry room to get cleaning supplies.

Robin was just about done feeding Roland when Regina emerged from the bedroom.

"Good morning beautiful," Robin said to his fiancé.

Regina blushed at his remark, but a smile somehow broke through. "Good morning." She walked over to him and placed her hands on his shoulders and rubbed them while she leaned down to peck his lips. She lifted her head after a few seconds and saw their son peacefully sitting in his chair playing with his hands. "And good morning to you too big guy!" She walked closer to him and kissed his cheek. She stood up and walked over to the coffee maker and began making her coffee, as well as Robin's. "So I told Grace to be here at 7. And then I plan on being home no later than 4 today, so I lol relieve her. Since this is your first day back, I assume you'll be pretty busy at work..." she trailed off, waiting for him to confirm her assumption.

Robin sighed quietly. "Yeah. I'm sure I've got mountains of paper work and a long list of clients waiting for me. And David's not one to like waiting ages for people to catch up on work. But I'll do my best to be home before dinner."

Regina could see the sorrow in his posture. She knew he hated the idea of having to leave his son. "We will be here waiting on you, but don't rush, and don't stress over anything. Promise?" she asked with a smile.

Robin turned around and smiled. "I'll do my best."

The couple exchanged yet another loving smile before returning to their tasks. Regina finished making the coffee and made Robin some scrambled eggs and herself some toast. Once the meal was made, they ate quickly. Moments after putting the dishes in the dishwasher, the couple heard the doorbell ring. Ring dried off her hands, which were wet from rinsing the dishes, and walked to the door.

The door opened and Grace was standing their smiling at Regina.

"Oh good morning Grace!" she said happily.

"Good morning Miss Mills. I do hope I'm not late," Grace relied, the smile never leaving her face.

"Oh not at all. In fact you're a few minutes early. Why don't you come inside and I can show you around and explain Roland's schedule." Regina motioned for Grace to follow her inside, to which Grace quickly complied.

The two walked down the foyer and into the kitchen where Robin and Roland were.

"I'm assuming you know my fiancé, Robin," Regina commented while placing a hand on Robin's shoulder.

"Yes, I do," she smiled and stuck out her hand. "Nice to see you again Mr. Locksley."

Robin took her hand and they shook hands for a few seconds. "Nice to see you too. How's your father doing?" Their hands broke apart.

"He's doing great! He's busy working. He told you about his new job didn't he?" she asked.

Robin furrowed his forehead as he thought. "No I don't believe he has. What's he up to?"

"He's now the CEO of the hat company called 'Lids'. I assume you've heard of it before?" she questioned

"Indeed! That's wonderful news! I'll have to give him a call sometime and congratulate him." Robin stood up and lifted Roland up out of his chair. "This is Roland," he said in a baby voice.

"Hi Roland," Grace smiled and took Roland's hand in her finger and shook it gently. "You're such a big boy!"

Regina laughed. "He sure is. He's not even one yet, but he can eat so much! And he's walking now!" Regina said excitedly.

"Oh wow! Already?" Grace retorted.

"We definitely weren't expecting it to happen so soon. We read so many books and articles that said it's usually after they turn one that they start walking. But I guess this big guy was too eager to get moving," Robin answered.

Regina and Grace laughed.

Just then Niles walked in. His eyes caught the new nanny immediately. Long dirty blonde hair, cascading down her back in soft curls, with layers that framed her face. She was truly beautiful, and Niles was captivated.

"Oh Niles! Come over! Meet Grace, our nanny," Robin exclaimed.

Niles was taken out of his thoughts and almost didn't hear what his boss had told him. But he heard enough to know what to do. So he walked over towards them.

"Niles, this is Grace. Grace, this is Niles, our butler," Robin introduced.

"Nice to meet you Niles," Grace said sweetly, sticking out her hand for him to shake.

Niles blushed and smiled awkwardly, but stuck his hand out and shook hers. "It's my pleasure to meet you as well Miss Grace."

Grace blushed at his response and slowly slipped her hand out of his grip.

"So you two will be here together. Hopefully that's okay. I know you two just met, and you'll already be spending a lot of time together, but I think you'll find you will get along just fine," Regina informed.

The two employees just nodded and smiled.

Niles kindly walked away and started his work for the day, while Regina showed Grace all of Roland's food and gave her a tour of the house. She told her not to let Roland in the guest room/soon-to-be nursery due to the fact that they had not finished painting and the room was a mess. When the tour was over, and Grace was informed of everything she needed, Regina looked at the time.

"Oh, gosh. We need to get going babe," she said to her fiancée. "Grace, our phone numbers are written on a notepad on the fridge. There's also a number for Robin's mother, and my and Robin's offices. Don't hesitate to call or text."

"Of course. Thank you, Miss Mills," Grace replied.

"Please, call me Regina," she smiled

Grace grinned and took Roland from Robin. "Have a nice day! I'll see you soon!"

Regina and Robin grabbed their respective belongings and headed out the door.

When Regina got to work, she received her messages from Belle and headed straight to her office. About an hour later, her first patient of the day, Cayden Reilly. His mother and father, Addison and Jake Reilly, brought their newborn in for his first checkup. After years of struggling with infertility, the couple managed to get pregnant, and ever since he was born, they've been worried about his health and how he is. And since they were in the process of moving from LA to NYC at the time of the birth, and the continuing to move after his birth, they were worried traveling with a newborn exposed Cayden to dangerous sicknesses, so both parents attended his first checkup.

The couple came in with tons of questions, all of which Regina was prepared to answer. All of the couple's worries were put to rest. Cayden was indeed a healthy newborn baby boy. No health issues to be concerned about. He was perfectly healthy. The couple showered Regina with 'thank you' and 'we're so relieved'. Regina kept repeating how much of a pleasure it is to treat their son.

When the couple left, Regina walked to the waiting room to get her next patient. She went from one patient to another, to another, and another, until she had seen all of her scheduled patients for the day. She didn't have any patients after 2pm, so she secluded herself in her office to catch up on files and paperwork.

Around the same time Regina arrived at work, Robin pulled into his office's parking lot. He pulled into his especially reserved parking spot right up by the building, and right next to David's parking spot. When he pulled up, he noticed David was standing outside of his car, leaning against the car frame at the driver's seat. When Robin looked further, he saw Mary sitting in the driver's seat. He saw a huge smile on her face as he emerged from his car and as he walked past the Nolan's car, trying not to interrupt, David spoke up.

"Robin! It's great to see you!" David stated

Robin walked over closer to their car and stopped just on the other side of the opened car door. "You too. It's been quite some time."

"It sure has. It's nice to have you back. Cases are piling up high on my desk, and it's getting quite overwhelming without you there." He chuckled.

"Robin! How have you been?" Mary asked eagerly. "How are you and Regina? I heard you're engaged now!"

"I'm doing much better than I was two months ago. Losing Marian was definitely the most difficult challenge I've gone through. But thankfully I had Regina there with me. She was definitely what got me through that tough time- her and Roland actually," Robin replied.

"Oh ya! How is the little guy? He must be getting so big!" Mary said elatedly.

Robin laughed slightly. "He's wonderful. He'll be one next month. And he just started walking yesterday." Robin was truly a proud father, and anyone could tell just by the way he spoke of his son.

"That's amazing! Neal is a year and one month and he hasn't started walking yet. Your son must be extra smart," Mary responded.

Robin chuckled once more. "I guess he is. But I wouldn't worry about your little one. Roland is a rare case when it comes to walking. Most babies don't start walking until a little later than he did. So Neal will probably be walking anytime now," Robin encouraged.

Snow smiled genuinely before David leaned down to kiss her. "Well we better be getting to work. Pick me up around 6?" David asked Mary.

"Sure babe. Work hard." She grinned and he slowly shut the door and waited for her to leave the parking lot before they headed inside.

The two men made their way inside. They both received their messages from the women at the front desk, and headed to David's office.

"Come with me to my office. I have some cases I am going to pass over to you, and I need to talk you through them," David requested.

Robin nodded and followed him into his office. The men sat down opposite one another- David behind his desk, and Robin in a chair on the other side.

David lifted a few files off the stack of files on his desk and laid them in front of Robin. "So these are the cases I am passing along to you. Since you seem to do so well with medical malpractice suits, I've passed some of those along to you. Hopefully you don't mind." He paused and Robin nodded in approval. "I've also given you a divorce case. You will be the husband's attorney. In fact he specifically asked for you. It's Robert Gold, an attorney you went up against with Regina's case. He admired your work ethic and your skill, and trusted you'd be a good choice. I know you haven't dealt with that many divorce cases, but the ones you have, you've succeeded, so I know you'll do well." David spilled out all that information rather quickly. It's a mere miracle Robin understood and remembered it all.

Robin felt slightly overwhelmed, but he knew this would happen. After being gone for so long, he knew cases were going to be piling up. "Wow, Gold's getting a divorce?" he asked, although he wasn't really all that surprised. Gold wasn't the most pleasant man, and Robin had spoken to him previously about his marriage problems.

"I guess so. But he really prefers you to be his attorney, so that's why I gave you that case. I know you typically aren't the biggest fan of divorce cases, and if it weren't for Gold's specific request, I would've taken the case myself," David replied.

Robin sat up straighter in the chair and looked at David seriously. "It's not a problem, David. This is my job. You can't cater my cases based on my preferences. I'll do whatever I need to," he said genuinely.

"I know you will, Robin. But you've just been through a lot recently, and I don't want to be insensitive," David stated.

Robin grinned. "I appreciate that, but honestly, I'd prefer to just be treated as if nothing has happened. It keeps me distracted from thinking about the loss of Marian."

"As you wish," David retorted. He lifted the files and passed them over to Robin. "Here you go. I'll be in here if you need anything."

Robin took the files and nodded to David and proceeded to exit the office. He headed to his office next. He reached the door to his office, and had to reach in his pocket to retrieve his keys. He was required to lock his office up every time he left, since it contained such private case information. He slipped the key in the keyhole and turned the doorknob. He walked into his office and headed straight for his desk. He set the files down and the plopped himself down in his chair. His elbows immediately rested on the table, and his head fell into his hands. He knew things would be hectic, but his mind is just not fully back to work yet, and he's feeling quite a bit overwhelmed. He wasn't sure he'd make it through a long day at work. He just wanted to be back at home with his family again. Which made him feel somewhat pathetic. Because men should be hard working, and shouldn't be so overcome with emotion, right? Or so Robin thought.

Eventually, Robin forced himself to get to work. He started by just reading through each file and familiarizing himself with the cases. After reading through each one once, he focused his attention on memorizing Robert Gold's case, for that was the first case he'd need to work on.

Once he read through it several times, he decided to give Gold a call to set up an appointment for him to come in for a meeting. He dialed the number and held his office phone up to his ear. After a few rings, Gold answered.

"Hello?" Gold asked.

"Uh, yes. Robert?" Robin asked.

"Yes, this is Robert Gold."

"I'm Robert Locksley, your requested attorney," Robin reminded.

"Oh Robin! It's nice to finally hear from you," Gold replied.

The two men caught up for the first 10 minutes or so. Robin sharing about his recent engagement, introduction into fatherhood, and how he's been since Marian's death. Gold shared about his life as well, describing how his marriage has just been failing miserably and how desperate he is for it to just end. That's when they got down to discussing the case.

"So have you both agreed to get a divorce?" Robin asked.

"Yes. We've both expressed, many times, our desire to get divorced."

"Okay. So this should be a pretty easy case. The main thing we will need to do is meet with her and her attorney to discuss how you will split up your possessions. That can take some time, seeing that there is a lot of aspects of it to go through. I'll contact her lawyer and see if we can work out a date to meet together. But until then, could you possibly come by my office tomorrow at some point?" Robin requested.

"Sure. I can try to be there around 1:30. Is that a good time to come by?"

"That works. I'll write you in my calendar. I'll see you tomorrow then," Robin stated.

"Okay. Have a nice day," Gold ended the call.

Robin took a sigh of relief as he had finish his main task for the day. It was now about 1pm, and he hadn't taken a lunch break. So he walked out of his office and down to the office kitchen to make himself something to eat.

After lunch, Robin made a few more calls to set up more appointments with other clients, which took a good three hours.

When 5 o'clock rolled around, David called Robin into his office. Robin complied and headed straight there. David just wanted to check in with him, and hear more about the cases and what progress was made. Though Robin was a partner of the firm, just like David, it was originally David's business, and he'd grown accustomed to taking charge and checking up on employees. Though it irritated Robin slightly that he was being treated as an inferior, he just went with it today, not wanting to start up an argument or disagreement of any kind.

The two men continued talking for the next hour, until Mary arrived to pick David up. The rest of their staff had left for the day, so they locked up the building and walked out together. Robin bid the Nolan's goodnight before getting in his car and driving home.

While Robin and Regina were at work, Niles and Grace were busy working as well. Grace spent her day caring for Roland, all the while watching Niles as he delicately cleaned every inch of the penthouse.

When lunch rolled around, she fed Roland his gerber graduates meal. Today, he had ravioli and vegetables, which Robin and Regina had learned was his favorite. After he ate, Grace cleaned him up, for his face was a mess- covered in the ravioli sauce. She put him down for his nap and walked back to the kitchen.

As Niles passed by, she decided to offer to make him lunch.

"Niles, I was just about to make myself some lunch, would you like me to make you some as well?" the young girl asked.

"Oh- uh…" he was caught off guard by her voice... "you really don't have to," he finished.

"Nonsense. I'd be happy to make you something. How does a quesadilla sound? It's super quick and easy to make," she suggested.

Niles couldn't hold back the smile that was slowly forming on his face, and the pink color that was rising in his cheeks. "Ya, that sounds wonderful. Thank you," he smiled at her.

"It's my pleasure," Grace replied sweetly.

She prepared their lunch, and the two sat down at the table and ate together. They talked quite a bit as they ate, learning more and more about each other as the conversation progressed.

Once they finished eating, Niles went back to work, and Grace cleaned up the kitchen before sitting down and watching TV.

Regina arrived home at promptly 4 o'clock, about an hour after Roland had woken up.

"How did it go today?" she asked Grace.

"It went wonderfully! He is such a chill baby," Grace noted.

Regina chuckled. "He is now. He didn't used to be though." She laughed again. "Did he sleep okay? We've been having some issues with nap time lately, so I do hope he slept some for you."

"Oh he slept great. He fussed a little bit after I laid him down, but within 10 minutes he was out, and didn't wake up until about 3," Grace answered.

"Wow! What did you do to get him to sleep? Maybe I need to take a few pointers from you!" Regina joked.

Grace laughed with Regina before commenting, "No, you're doing such a wonderful job raising him. He's a blessed boy to have you as his Momma."

Regina was truly moved by her words, and could almost feel tears forming in her eyes, but she held them back. "Thank you, dear."

After a few more minutes of conversation, Regina handed Grace her check and Grace left. Niles left moments later as well.

Regina walked over to the living room towards where Roland was. Grace had set up his playpen in the living room and put some toys in there so he could play, but not roam around the house and get into trouble.

"Well hello big guy!" Regina cooed to her son. She reached in the playpen and lifted him up and placed him against her shoulder. "Did you have fun with Miss Grace?" She nudged her nose playfully against his little button nose and then kissed it.

She put him on the floor and played with him until she heard the penthouse door opening.

"Hello?" she heard that familiar British voice call.

"We're in here," she called back to him.

Robin set his briefcase down by the door and set his keys on the table by the door before coming to the living room. He walked up and saw his fiancé lying flat on her stomach, still in her work clothes, beside their son who was sitting up and playing with some toys.

"Hey babe," he greeted.

"Hey to you too hun," she smiled up at him. She patted the ground next to her urging Robin to come sit next to her.

Robin grinned at her as he took off his shoes. He slipped them off and set them down neatly beside the couch, then came and sat beside his little family. "How was your day today, my love?"

"It was pretty good. I had this adorable little newborn baby boy come in for his first check up today," she replied.

"Oh really?" he asked interestedly.

"Yeah. And his parents… oh you should have seen them Robin. They were so worried about their baby, and it was so heartwarming to see. I mean I know all the parents I've come across before love their children, but to see it in action… oh god! I loved it." Regina was truly happy this evening. There hadn't been many days before that she'd come home this excited about her day at work, but lately she's just been happier. She's finally found her happy ending, and it's just affected her whole life- made her happier in every aspect.

"That's wonderful to hear, darling. I'm glad you're day went so enjoyably." Robin leaned over and kissed her cheek. "How was Roland's day? Did Grace do okay?"

"She did wonderfully. She even got him to sleep for 4 hours this afternoon!" Regina said, still in shock.

"Really? He hasn't slept that long in a nap in a long time," Robin replied.

"I know! I told her I needed to take lessons from her," she laughed.

"No no. You're a fantastic mother," he corrected.

Regina smiled at him.

A few moments went by where the couple just watched their son play.

Regina turned her gaze to her fiancé in question. "So how was your first day back?"

Robin sighed.

"That bad?" she asked.

He sighed again. "It wasn't terrible. There's just a lot of work to do. So many cases I had to read through today. I called all of my clients and talked to each of them for quite some time."

"I'm sorry babe. Did David really just pile all that on you on your first day back?" she questioned.

Robin huffed. "I have bones to pick with him, and it has nothing to do with the amount of cases he put on me."

"What do you mean then?"

Robin sighed, like he has been since he started this conversation. "He's just, treating me like an inferior. It's annoying as hell." He let out another huff. "I mean, I'm co-partner of the firm with him, right?"

Regina nodded in agreement.

"And you'd think that would mean we are equal, and we should treat each other as such, but no."

"No?"

"No! He checks in on me, brings me into meetings to discuss my days work as if I'm incapable of keeping track of my own progress. It's getting under my skin, and I don't know how much longer I can handle this," he said boldly.

Regina looked at him with concern. "Well, have you tried talking to him about it?"

"Ha- yeah right. The moment I bring it up with him, I just know we will end up in an argument. He'll argue that this was his business to begin with, and how he reserves the right to act the way he has. It's not worth my time honestly."

"Robin, you can't be certain of that. You have to do something. You can't just sit around and let him run all over you like that. You need to put your foot down," she states.

Robin rubs his forehead and then the back of his neck. "I-I just don't know."

"Well you most certainly won't find out unless you try." Regina looks at him lovingly. "You're a powerful man, Robin. Don't let people like David Nolan make you feel otherwise. Stand your ground. Show him who you are, and don't let him diminish you."

Robin lifts his head and focuses his eyes on Regina's. Piercing blue eyes stared straight into chocolate brown. She always knew how to encourage him. "You're right. You're right. I need to not be such an idiot about all of this."

"You're not an idiot. You are the most intelligent man I have ever known," she replied sweetly.

Robin smiled and kissed her lips gently, and Regina reciprocated the gesture. Once they parted, the devoted their attention to the little guy in front of them.

At about 6, Regina fed Roland dinner while Robin changed out of his suit and into his pajamas. He came back into the kitchen and began heating up some leftover white chicken chili soup for he and Regina. While he did that, Regina got Roland out of his highchair and brought him to his daddy.

"Say goodnight daddy. This little guy is going to beddy-bye," Regina said in a baby voice.

Robin smiled big. "Goodnight buddy. Sleep good, okay?" He kissed Roland's forehead. "I love you."

Regina grinned as she heard her fiancé speak to their son in his brilliantly accented voice.

She turned away and brought Roland into their bedroom, where his other playpen was. She laid him down, and he began to fuss. "Shhh. It's okay, baby boy. Go night-night." She rubbed the child's belly to soothe him. After a few moments, Roland settled down, so Regina lifted her hand and walked to her closet. She finally changed out of her work clothes and put on a pair of grey ilk pajama pants and a matching silk tank top that was lined with black lace.

She walked back to the kitchen and saw that Robin had set the table and put both of their bowls of soup on the table in their respective spots, along with glasses of moscato. A drink he and Regina had grown to love.

They spoke about various things as they ate- finishing Roland's nursery and plans for moving Regina in, specifically. Once they finished, they cleaned up their dishes. They were both exhausted from their days at work, so they quickly brushed their teeth and climbed into bed.

Regina laid on her left side, and Robin on his right so that they were facing each other. Robin snaked an arm across her waist and pulled her closer, so that her neck rested in the crook of his neck.

"Goodnight, my love," he said lovingly, peppering kisses along her hairline.

"Goodnight, Robin. I love you," she replied softly.

"I love you more."


	23. Chapter 23

ROBIN:

Robin's night of sleep was restless. He was still worked up about David, and he was stressing over whether he should do what Regina said and stick up for himself, or if he should just leave it alone. He went back and forth all night. One minute he was sure he was going to speak to David, and the next he just wanted to ignore the problem.

He was quiet all morning, and Regina tried to get him to talk, and she tried encouraging him, but he was just so in his head about this whole thing that he didn't pay attention to what she said. He got ready, ate breakfast kissed his wife and son and headed out the door within a span of 15 minutes. A record time for anyone in this family.

By the time he arrived at work, he had still not made a choice. He parked in his reserved spot and headed inside. He got to his office and set his briefcase down and sat in his chair. He leaned back against the chair with his hands behind his head, contemplating what to do. After about 10 minutes, he stood up from his chair. "Screw this," he said frustrated as he marched toward David's office.

He arrived at David's office and knocked.

"Come in," David called.

Robin opened the door and walked in quickly.

"Oh Robin! What can I do for you, man?" David asked.

Robin huffed.

David furrowed his forehead in confusion. "Is there an issue?"

"David, what is my title at this firm?" Robin finally asked.

"You're co-partner," David replied. "Robin what's this about?"

"Yesterday you treated me like shit. Everything I did seemed to be under a microscope by you. You constantly checked in on me. Had meetings with me to go over my cases to make sure I'm doing them correctly. Talked to be like I'm some incompetent child trying to do a man's work. You-"

"Hold up. Robin, the only reason I've been treating you like this is because you've gone through something tragic. You lost someone close to you, and not to mention… you've gained a child. Forgive me for trying to give you some sympathy, I just thought you'd appreciate the help," David interjected.

Robin chuckled slightly. "I am a grown man, David. Just like you. Give me about two weeks to grieve, and I'll be fine. A man has responsibilities, and a good one doesn't let his personal life effect his work life. It's been way more than two weeks. I'm fine! I'm back to work, and I don't want to be treated as if this was my first day of work again. I know what I'm doing. My head isn't in the wrong place. Am I sad I lost my sister? Yes, of course. But am I completely distraught over it still? No. I've moved on. I've grieved, but now it's time for me to get back to work, to support my family."

David just sat there with his arms folded across his chest and his eyes gazing past Robin. Robin couldn't tell if he was mad, or if he as just deep in thought or concentration. Either way, Robin continued.

"Stop treating me like I'm just some lowly employee who can't do much. I am over feeling like you think I'm lesser than you. Because, newsflash David, we are CO-partners. Do you know what "co" means? It means together, equal share, teamwork. You didn't give me that title for no reason. We agreed to combine our firms and work as equals. Did we not?"

David nodded his head in agreement.

"Then start treating me as one, or I'll take my shares of this firm and go back to being my own business. Because I am sick of this." Robin finally finished his rant, and it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.

The two men sat in silence for a few minutes, until David cleared his throat.

"Look, Robin… I apologize for making you feel as if I didn't think of you as my equal. I genuinely just wanted to make sure you got the time you needed to grieve and to get back in the groove of working again."

"David, it's been three months. I've had my time to grieve at home. But this is work, and we are both professional men. So can we please just start acting like that again?" Robin requested.

"Sure thing," David replied. He stood up from his chair and stuck his hand out towards Robin.

Robin looked at his hand and then grabbed it. They shook hands for a few seconds.

"Again, Robin I truly apologize. If you would've come to me yesterday when you first noticed it, I would've stopped in a heartbeat. Because I just get in a zone sometimes and I don't fully recognize what I'm saying or how I'm saying it, and I don't realize how it's effecting other people. So please, just tell me if anything like this happens again. Because it's not my intention at all."

"Will do. Thank you for understanding David. It takes a good man to listen and respond well to things I just said to you. I appreciate you hearing me out," Robin commented.

"No problem."

The two men went on their ways, both going back to work. Robin met with Robert Gold and discussed his divorce case. Belle and her lawyer also came in and they all met in the conference room. They spent quite a while divvying out their property. They each obviously got to keep their own cars, and their own clothes. Belle got the house in the suburbs, while Robert got the condo in downtown Manhattan. The money was split 60/40. Robert, being the main income of the family, received the larger share of their money, and Belle therefore receiving the smaller. Belle's lawyer tried to fight for more, but logically it didn't make sense for Belle to be given more money than what she's earned. They signed the divorce papers and bitterly shook each other's hands and then left the building, most likely to never see each other again.

Robin met with a few more clients after Robert Gold, but they were short meetings. Some were prospective clients, looking around for a lawyer, and just meeting with various ones to get an idea of which one they prefer. Robin hoped he put off an accurate impression to them of who he is and the work ethic he has.

NILES AND GRACE:

Niles and Grace had both arrived at the penthouse around the same time. As soon as the engaged couple left for work, the employees got right to work. The house, however, was already rather clean. Niles didn't have much to do other than pick up messes that he or Grace made. So Niles entertained himself by watching Grace intently as she tended to the child. Grace was sitting in a chair in front of Roland's highchair and was trying to get him to eat his oatmeal.

"Come on buddy, just try it. I promise it's good," she cooed to the child. She lifted the spoon up to his mouth but he shoved the spoon away quickly with his hand, making the oatmeal fly off the spoon and onto Grace's lap. "Roland!" she yelled in frustration. She dropped the spoon into the bowl and picked it up and walked to the sink. "Damn it," she said under her breath. She grabbed a towel and tried wiping the oatmeal off of her skirt but it left a stain. "I just bought this," she sighed under her breath.

Niles had seen and heard the whole thing, and he was now witnessing how frustrated she was that her skirt was stained. So he walked over to her in the kitchen. "I can get that stain out for you, milady," he offered. "IF you would like me to that is…" he added.

Grace turned her face to look at him, then turned it away to try and clean her skirt herself. "Oh, uh… no that's okay. It'll be fine. And plus I don't have anything to change into while you clean it. So just- uh don't worry about it."

"Nonsense… I'm sure Miss Mills has something you can borrow for the time being. I'd be glad to help you," he offers again.

Grace looks at him again, and she sees how sweet and genuine he looks. "I guess you can," she finally agrees. "Where would I find something to wear?" Grace asked.

"I can show you to Miss Mills and Mr. Locksley's closet if you'd like. Miss Mills has tons of clothes, I'm positive she'd be happy to loan something to you," Niles said.

"Ok. Let me just put Roland in his playpen with some toys in the living room." Niles nodded and waited patiently for her to tend to the boy. Grace lifted Roland out of his highchair and carried him over to the playpen that had been set up in the middle of the living room. She set him down and walked to the basket of toys and picked a few out and brought it over to Roland. "Here you go buddy. I'll be back in just a second." She made her way over to Niles and the two made their way to the Master bedroom.

"He's just a child, you know," Niles commented.

"What?" Grace asked in confusion.

"Roland… he's not even one yet. No need to get so easily frustrated over his mishaps," he clarified.

"Oh. You saw that?" she asked.

"Indeed. My apologies for snooping. But I couldn't help but notice how upset you got over the boy's accident. He's just a child. He doesn't know any better," Niles stated.

Grace sighed. "I know. It's just… this is a new skirt…" she said softly.

They pair arrived to the master bedroom and Niles directed her to the closet. While she was in there looking for something to wear Niles couldn't help but say something.

"I don't believe that your skirt being new is what made you frustrated," he said.

Grace had changed into a pair of athletic shorts and a t-shirt. She walked out of the closet and handed him her stained skirt. "What makes you think you know me so well?"

"Cause you're like me. You love children too much to get that upset over a small stain like this," he said gesturing to the tiny spot of oatmeal on the skirt.

Grace couldn't help but blush a little at his words. Turns out he did know her… at least enough to catch her in a lie like this.

"Do you mind me asking what has gotten you so upset?" Niles asks hesitantly.

Grace was conflicted. She didn't know why, but she felt like she could share anything with him, and yet she barely knew him. Should she tell him what's really bothering her, or should she not open up to him so soon? Before she could really realize what she was doing, she was answering him. "I-uh I guess I'm just stressed, and slightly upset."

"Well that much is obvious. But why?" Niles asks sympathetically.

Grace sighed and cleared her throat when she felt it get dry. "A lot of stuff." She paused, still unsure how much she wanted to tell him. "I just found out yesterday…" she got choked up. "My-uh my mom… she's dying."

"Grace I'm-"

"And my dad is a mess. He can't function. And I'm trying to be there for him, but it's hard. He'll barely come out of the hospital room, which is bad for him. He needs air, he needs to take some time away, but he won't leave her side," she finished.

Niles touched her shoulder hesitantly, but she didn't flinch. "Oh Grace, I'm so sorry. Why didn't you ask for time off?"

"I can't afford to take time off. I'm supporting myself. My dad may be rich, but I surely ain't."

"Grace, Mr. Locksley would gladly give you a paid leave. You just have to talk to him," Niles said.

Grace shrugged. "I guess…" she trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

Niles patted her on the shoulder gently and walked past her. "I'll work on getting the stain out for you." He smiled and walked to the laundry room.

Grace had to calm herself down before she went back to Roland. She eventually did, and she sat down on the couch and watched him play until it was time for lunch.

By the time lunch came around, Niles had finished cleaning her skirt. He folded it neatly and walked to the kitchen where Grace was busy making lunch for Roland.

"Here's your skirt milady."

Grace turned around and saw Niles holding her skirt out towards her. "Thank you so much." She smiled and took the item of clothing.

"It's my pleasure," Niles replied before swiftly turning around and making his way out of the kitchen.

"Niles… wait," Grace called.

Niles turned around. "Yes milady?"

"I'm sorry for unleashing on you early. You probably didn't care to know all of that," she stated.

"If I didn't care, then I wouldn't have asked. So no need to apologize," he replied sweetly.

Grace grinned, and Nile grinned back. They then turned around and continued on what they were doing.

After lunch, Roland needed a nap, so Grace brought him into the master bedroom and laid him in the playpen. She laid him on his belly, remembering that's the only way he'd fall asleep. "Sleep tight buddy." She rubbed his belly softly before straightening her back and walking out of the room. She then went to the bathroom and changed back into her original outfit, and set Regina's clothes in the laundry room

While he napped, Grace sat down and watched TV for a little bit. After cleaning the kitchen, Niles joined her. They started out just watching a show together, but then Niles asked more questions about her mom's condition, and the two just spent the time talking and getting to know each other. Nothing too deep or too personal, but surface stuff that they felt like sharing.

Nap time ended around 3 o'clock and Regina arrived home around 4. Grace was sitting on the floor in the living room with Roland sitting across from her. Regina walked in the door at that moment.

"Hello?" she called.

"Oh hey Regina! We're in the living room." Grace heard the sound of keys being dropped on the counter, and heels clicking on the floors.

Regina walked and turned the corner to the living room. "There you are." She smiled and walked over to where Roland was sitting. "Hey buddy. Mommy missed you so so much." She bent down and kissed the top of his head. She lifted her head and looked at Grace. "How was he today?"

"He was wonderful! The only issue I had was that he refused to eat breakfast. I tried feeding him a bite, but he pushed the spoon away and the oatmeal got all over my skirt," Grace replied.

Regina couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, get used to that. He's a stubborn one, for sure." She looked down at Grace's skirt. "It looks like you didn't get anything on it."

"Well actually, uh I borrowed some clothes from you so Niles could clean my skirt. I hope that's okay? I changed out of them as soon as he finished with my skirt. They're sitting on the washing machine." Grace spouted off information nervously.

"Grace, Grace… it's okay. I don't mind at all," Regina laughed a little as she spoke. "Really, if you ever need something like that, don't hesitate. I'm happy to share." Regina smiled. Her and Grace stood up and Regina walked Grace to the door. Niles happened to be preparing to leave at the same time.

"Have a nice evening you two. See you in the morning!" Regina said and then returned to the living room to tend to Roland.

"After you milady," Niles said as he held the door open for Grace. The two exited the penthouse and headed on their separate ways.

ROBIN AND REGINA:

Regina was on the floor across from Roland. He had stood himself up with the help of the couch beside him. "Come here buddy. Come see Momma." She stretched out her arms and waited for Roland to walk to her. He bounced up and down a few times with a huge grin on his face. "Come on. You can do it." Roland smiled at his mother and then took one step. "There you go! Keep going!" Roland took another step, and another, and another- all the way to Regina. He barely made it to her before he fell down. She caught him and then lifted him up in the air and brought his belly down to her face and she kissed it. "You did it!" She cheered.

Just then, Robin walked into the living room. "Hello my beautiful fiancé." She jumped at the sudden sound of his voice.

"Geez, Robin you scared me." She put her hand over her heart.

"I'm sorry my love." He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "How are you?" He asked.

"I'm great, now." She smiled at him. "I hate being away from you, you know," she commented.

"I hate being away from you too, babe." He kissed her temple. He looked down at his son in Regina's arms. "And how's this little guy?" he asked as he lifted the boy into his arms.

"He's wonderful. He was a little stubborn for Grace today, but other than that he was great!" she replied.

Robin laughed just as Regina had earlier to Grace. "That's no surprise. He's always been stubborn."

Regina smiled. "That he has."

Roland had crawled off of Robin's lap and over to the toys that were on the floor. He sat there adorably and played while Regina and Robin watched in admiration.

"How was your day?" Regina asked.

"It went pretty good," he said briefly. "I-uh talked to David today."

"You did?" she asked and Robin nodded. "How did it go?"

"I guess it went fine. David seemed really genuine and caring during it all. He said he just thought I needed time to get used to getting back to work since Marian died, and since I took in Roland. But I told him that I've had time to grieve- that I just want life to be normal again, and that includes having a normal work day without feeling like everyone is feeling sorry for me and holding my hand throughout the day." Robin went on to explain his conversation with David, and Regina told him she was glad he listened to her and spoke up.

They finished talking and they started watching Roland again.

At one point, Robin's gaze shifted to Regina's face. He watched as she smiled big at the sight of their son, and it warmed Robin's heart. He truly loved this woman, and could hardly wait to finally marry her. "I want kids with you," he said randomly.

Regina's gaze moved to meet his. "We have a child- Roland."

"I know that. But I want more. I want a child created from our love. I want multiple children. I want as many children as you can give me," he said excitedly.

Regina laughed and giggled out of joy. "You do? Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course I do! I want kids with you, Regina," he confirmed.

Regina giggled again and leaned forward. She pressed her palms against his cheeks and pressed her lips against his. "I love you, Robin Locksley."

"And I love you, the future Regina Locksley."


	24. Chapter 24

**Skipping ahead to Thanksgiving time**

Regina woke up the morning before Thanksgiving feeling extremely overwhelmed. Robin's parents were coming in town this evening, and she had yet to make a trip to the grocery store for food. She had the meal planned out, but hasn't had any extra time in her schedule to purchase everything she needed for the holiday.

Not only was preparation for Thanksgiving stressing her out, planning for her wedding was too. She and Belle had everything planned out about a month after the engagement; the venue for both the ceremony and the reception had been secured, the flowers had been picked out and purchased (fake flowers, because Regina wanted to keep her bouquet), Belle had her bridesmaid dress, Robin and David had been fitted for their suits, and Regina had picked out her dress.

Regina and Belle had gone wedding dress shopping pretty quickly after the engagement. With the wedding being in only a few short months, Regina knew she had to pick out, purchase and have her dress altered before too long. So they made a day of it. They went to breakfast that morning before the appointment at the boutique, and then made their way there around 10:30am. As soon as Regina walked in the building, she was overwhelmed by all the choices. She had a general idea of what she wanted, but seeing all of the options displayed in front of her stressed her out a bit.

Surprisingly, Regina found the dress of her dreams within just an hour. Belle snapped a few shots of Regina in the dress before she took it off. Regina didn't want the pictures on her phone, because, staying with tradition, she didn't want Robin to see it until she walked down the aisle.

Regina and Belle had lunch together every day at work discussing the wedding and making sure everything was in order. Over the past three months, the two have become inseparable friends. They had found there was much more in common between them than they had initially realized. Belle had lost her parents, which Regina knew about, but what she didn't know was how. Ironically enough, her parents were also murdered. In a different scenario than Regina's, but they were. The two women shared many emotional moments talking about it, but were comforted to know they were there for each other.

As Regina sat in her bed contemplating all she had to do before tomorrow and before the wedding, she heard a cry in the distance. 'Roland,' she thought. She climbed out of the bed slowly, making sure she didn't wake her sleeping fiancé. She stood up, and had to wait a few seconds until her dizziness passed before making her way to the recently renovated nursery. She opened the door and saw Roland standing up in his crib, holding onto the railing so hard that his hands were extremely red.

Roland's birthday had come and gone in a flash. The day of his birthday, Robin's parents came in town, Grace and Niles came over, and a small party was thrown for the boy. He wore an adorable baby suit that matched his father's. The cake was a two tiered vanilla cake with cream cheese icing; the bottom was covered in white fondant and had red and teal striped strips of fondant plastered on to look like suspenders. Laying across the 'suspenders' was a red bow tie. The top layer was covered in teal fondant with a black fondant mustache laying in the center. On the very top was a white #1 with red and teal polka dots. As soon as that cake was placed in front of Roland, he smashed his hands into it and smeared it all over the highchair and his face. It was indeed a day to remember for the entire family, the only thing missing was Marian, and Robin and his parents struggled immensely with that, but fought through the emotions and managed to still find the good in it all.

Regina walked closer to the child and placed her hands beneath his armpits, lifting him out of his crib and onto her hip.

"Oh goodness. What's wrong big guy?" she asked while wiping the tears away with her thumb.

Roland just kept screaming. His face was scrunched up and was very red; tears spewing out of his eyes uncontrollably. Regina tried bouncing him up and down, and swaying her body back and forth in attempt to calm him, but to no avail. The child wailed relentlessly. Regina thought through all the possibilities. She changed his diaper, and tried feeding him but he wouldn't. Every time he took a bite of food, he'd start chewing and then spit it out, and his finger would go straight into his mouth.

As soon as he did so, Regina knew what the issue was. "You're teething aren't you buddy?' She asked as if he'd give an answer. She picked him up from the highchair and went back to the nursery. She walked to the changing table and retrieved the teething gel. She gently applied some on the child's swollen gums, only to receive more cries from him. "I know buddy. I know," she cooed. Once she was done, she gave him some baby Tylenol and carried him over to the rocking chair. She sat down and laid him against her chest as she rocked back and forth.

"How about I tell you a story…" she said after the child's cries began quieting down. "The story of how your daddy and I met. It's a pretty good one if you ask me," she chuckled to herself. She cleared her throat before beginning. "Well, your mommy, here, is a doctor. I take care of little people just like you," she said while playfully poking his side, causing him to giggle slightly. "One day, after I had seen my first patient of the day, I got a letter- a really bad letter. Mommy was being sued because someone thought she did something bad, but it wasn't my fault. But mommy was scared. So I called my lawyers office, hoping to be able to meet with my lawyer, Uncle David, but he was on a trip. So mommy had to use a different lawyer, and that lawyer was your daddy."

Meanwhile, Robin had woken up. He turned over and slid his hand over, expecting to come in contact with you, but instead, his hand glided over the mattress. He lifted his head and looked around the room. "Regina?" he called tiredly, but got no answer. He slowly rose from the bed and walked out of the master bedroom. He looked around the house trying to find her, but couldn't. As he walked the hallway to Roland's room, he heard her voice. What she was saying to the boy was unclear from this distance, so Robin quickly, but quietly made his way to the nursery door.

"Mommy wasn't too happy that she had to meet your daddy, at first. When I first saw him, I thought he was a mean, prideful man who I wanted nothing to do with. You see, most lawyers are really prideful and stuck up, and that's exactly how I expected your father to be. But to be honest, I was still very attracted to him when I laid eyes on him for the first time. And I hated myself for that. To my surprise, your daddy was such a gentleman. He was kind and caring, always wanting to make sure I was okay. Frankly, I still thought it was just for show. A big part of me didn't trust that this gentlemanly behavior was genuine, so I responded harshly. Still, your dad reacted wonderfully," she said sweetly. "But, what I will say about your dad, is that he's not very good at hiding how he feels when he sees a woman he's attracted to. He stared at me and kept looking up and down my body as I walked in or out of his office," she laughed.

Robin found it hard to keep himself from busting out laughing, but he didn't want to make her aware of his presence, so he remained silent (well, as silent as possible).

"I won't bore you with all the details of what happened after that, but basically your dad helped me out a lot. He made me more confident in myself and in my case. On the day of the trial, I was very nervous, but your dad reassured me. And he did an incredible job defending me and my case during the trial, and we won! And I have no clue what came over me, but I kissed him. Without any warning whatsoever, I kissed your dad. And regardless of whether or not I knew it in that moment, I believe I fell in love with your father then. I was just too scared to tell him how I felt, because I didn't want to get hurt again like I have been in the past."

At this point both she and Robin had tears in their eyes. Regina was teary eyed because she was remembering all the pain she had been through in her life and the wounds she obtained both physically and emotionally from it all, but also how much Robin has mended those wounds, and gave her hope. Robin was crying because of what Regina had just confessed. That she had fallen in love with him in that very moment. But hearing her mention why she didn't tell him, made his heart ache, because he hated seeing her relive the pain she went through all those years ago, and wanted nothing more than to make it all better. Robin thought she was gonna be finished soon, and he almost walked into the room, but then he heard her voice again.

"Not too long after that, your daddy told me he loved me. He took me to Central Park and had this really romantic setting for us as he declared his love for me. And it made my heart feel so full. I don't recall a day before then that I had felt so joyous. However, something within me, still kept me from telling him how I felt, and I told him that. And you know what, your dad responded in a far better way than I could've imagined," she stopped to wipe a tear off of her cheek before continuing.

"But you know what made it ever more clear to me that I loved your daddy? It was when I heard him singing to you. I don't know what within me clicked in that moment, but I just melted at the sound and thought of him caring for you in this way. He really loves you, Roland. So very much. And so do I. And that's why, as much as I was and am excited to have said yes to marrying your daddy, I think I was even more excited to be able to be your mommy. To be a family with you and Robin. That's all I've wanted since the day you came into our lives for good. I may not be married to your daddy yet, but you ARE my son. Whether or not there's any blood relation between us, or even a court ruling could take that away. I love you, my boy. With all my heart and soul. And I'll be here for you for as long as I live. I'll be here when you go to school for the first time, when you have your first childhood crush. I'll be there to scold you when you go through your rebellious stage in middle school, and I'll be your source of wisdom when you need advice for dating. I'll be there to wade through the girl's and make sure you don't end up with a bratty one. I'll be there when you get engaged and married, and hopefully I'll be around for my grandchildren's birth, that is if you give them to me in enough time," she chuckles. "All of that to say, I'm not going anywhere for a very very long time."

Regina ended her story there and kept rocking Roland in silence. When Robin felt it was safe, he walked through the doorway, into the nursery. Regina looked up when she heard footsteps and smiled. "Well hello sleepyhead," she said playfully.

Robin just smiled in response. His face still showed evidence of tears, and Regina noticed.

"Babe, what's the matter?" she asked, completely unaware that he'd been listening to the majority of her story.

He came closer and leaned down and kissed her, still not saying anything.

"Seriously, Robin. You're worrying me. What happened?"

He cleared his throat and replied, "I just really love you. And I love your version of our story."

Regina blushed slightly, but nonetheless smiled brightly. "You heard that?"

"Indeed," he replied.

"All of it?" she questioned.

"Mhmm." Robin leaned down and kissed her again. He walked over and brought a chair from the other side of the room over to where Regina was. "Did you mean what you said when you told him you believe you fell in love with me the day at the courthouse?" he asked.

"Of course I did. Why else would I have said it?" she smiled and he shrugged. "I fell deeply in love with you in that moment. I just… I just-"

"I know babe. You don't have to explain yourself again," he said as he softly placed his hand on her knee. "You've been through a lot. It's ok that you needed time to be sure and to make sure your heart was healed enough."

"That's just it Robin. Until I met you, I felt there was no hope of me being healed. I thought my life would forever be haunted by my past, and that nothing good would ever come along to fix that. But you changed all that. You are the only person to ever make me feel hopeful. In that moment at the courthouse, I still wasn't completely healed, but I knew I would be because of you, so why didn't I take the leap of faith and tell you how I felt? Why did I make you wait?" she started to tear up again at the thought.

Robin rubbed her knee gently, trying to soothe her. "Regina, love, don't fret over that. None of it matters now. What matters now is that you told me. You love me and I love you. We have a son who we adore. We're engaged, and we'll be married in three weeks." He smiled and playfully shook her leg. "You hear that? Three weeks until you become my wife." And with that, she giggled. "There's that laugh. I knew it was in there somewhere." He tickled her knee, causing her to laugh even more.

"Robin! Robin! Stoooop," she begged while laughing. She took ahold of his wrist firmly so she could speak again. "I have a teething child in my arms. Do you really want to get him all riled up again?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

He threw his hands up in the air. "Nope. Don't want that," he replied playfully. "But seriously, is the boy alright? Did you give him medicine?"

"I did. He seems to be feeling better now, but he won't eat any food. Should I just make a bottle for him?" she asked.

"I mean he needs to eat something. I know we're trying to ween him off of the bottles, but he needs to eat, so I say just give it to him for today."

And that's what happened. Robin made the bottle while Regina moved into the living room and sat on the couch with Roland. While Regina fed Roland, Robin made breakfast for himself and his fiancé.

Lunch time rolled around and Regina decided to make a run to the store. She left Roland at home with Robin since it was close to his nap time. She had a lot to get, and she was dreading this trip because she knew the store would be crowded with other last minute shoppers. But she had to go.

As soon as she got to the store, she was quickly overwhelmed. The store was jam packed with people, mostly women. Nonetheless, Regina fought her way through and got what busy shopping. Her list consisted of a turkey large enough to feed four adults, ingredients to make a corn casserole and a hashbrown casserole, green beans, stuffing, and a salad. It wasn't too fancy, but hopefully it would satisfy.

It took her a good hour to finish gathering everything she needed because there were so many people in the store. But once she exited the building and put the groceries in her SUV, she sighed in relief. But not too long after that she got stressed again when she remembered that Kristin and Andrew would be arriving in just a few short hours.

She drove the 20 minute drive back to Robin's apartment and began carrying grocery bags up. As she did so, she began to loath how far up he lived and told herself that when they got married, they might just have to find somewhere else to live. Preferably an apartment on the ground floor, or a detached home. She eventually reached the door to his penthouse and walked in, barely able to carry the bags she had in her arms.

"I'm home," she said breathlessly.

Robin peaked around the corner and saw her struggling. "Let me help you," he said lovingly and took the bags from her.

She turned around to go back out the door, for there were still bags in the car, but Robin stopped her.

"I'll get the rest, you stay here and catch your breath." He kissed her forehead before exiting the penthouse.

Regina sat down on the couch and laid her head back. Her eyes shut and she tried to slow her breathing. It wasn't just the trip up to the penthouse with the groceries that made her out of breath, it was the stress and anxiety building up within her at the thought of hosting a thanksgiving party for what was now her family. She'd never thrown one before. Every thanksgiving for the past 10 or so years have been spent alone. She was not used to having to prepare a huge meal for family, because she didn't have any family. But she tried to just relax and not focus on all of that right now.

Robin made his way back up with the rest of the groceries and he insisted on putting them in their proper places, and that Regina remain seated. Once he was done, he came and sat next to Regina on the couch. He patted the top of his thighs and looked at Regina. "Lay down, babe."

Regina didn't hesitate to lay her head in his lap and stretch her feet over the side of the couch. Robin stroked her hair gently with his fingertips. "Sleep, love. You've had a busy day already, and you need rest. I'll wake you when it's time to go to the airport," he explains.

Regina doesn't even respond. She fell asleep within seconds of him telling her to.

Once he was sure Regina had fallen asleep, Robin got up and made sure Roland's bag and stroller were ready to be brought down to the car, then he went to go change.

About an hour and a half later, it was time to head to the airport. Robin really wished he didn't have to wake her up, but he also knew she'd be pissed if he didn't. So he walked over and squatted down by the couch. He gently brushed a few pieces of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead before whispering, "Sweetheart, it's time to go."

She slowly opened her eyes and groaned quietly. She stretched her legs as she moved to lay on her back. "Now?" she asked tiredly.

Robin chuckled inwardly at how adorable she was when she was tired. "Yes, now. My parents will be here in about an hour."

Regina reached her arms above her head and stretched them before rubbing her eyes. She just now was able to see the man sitting next to her clearly. She smiled and put her hands on the back of his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. When they pulled away she stretched her hands out to him, "Help me up?"

Robin quickly took her hands in his and lifted her back off the couch so she was now sitting up. "Do I have time to go freshen up before we leave?"

Robin, knowing how long she normally takes a long time to get ready was hesitant to say yes. "Only if you can promise me you'll be done in no more than 10 minutes," he stated with a playfully raised eyebrow.

"I promise! I just need to brush my hair and touch up my makeup," Regina responded quickly.

Robin nodded in approval and she shot up and rushed to their bathroom.

After exactly 10 minutes, no minute sooner and no minute later, Regina walked out of the master bedroom. "Ready."

While she had been getting ready, Robin got Roland and put him in his carrier and grabbed his diaper bag. "Could you carry him while I bring the stroller down?"

Regina nodded and her fiancé handed her the carrier, then picked up the stroller. The couple made their way down to the car, everyone got buckled in, and they were off to pick up Andrew and Kristin.

They arrived 30 minutes before Robin's parents were supposed to fly in, so Robin placed Roland in the stroller and they walked from their car, through the airport and sat down in some seats just outside the security gate.

Every few minutes, Robin got up to check the flight schedules on the screen across from them. The third time he got up, he noticed that his parent's flight was now going to arrive at 6pm instead of 4:30pm. He walked back towards his fiancé and son, and sat down once again. "Looks like we have another two hours to kill."

"It got delayed?" Regina asked.

"I guess so."

The family sat there and waited. Robin asked Regina if she wanted him to take her and Roland home and he'd come back and get his parents, but Regina said she wanted to stay with him.

Eventually Kristin and Andrew arrived. They got their luggage and headed out to the car.

Thirty minutes later, they were at the penthouse. Regina carried up Roland in his carrier while Robin helped his dad with the suitcases.

Every time Kristin and Andrew came to visit, they stayed in the guest room/nursery, and Roland slept in the playpen in the master bedroom with his parents. So the two men placed all the luggage in the guest room and they came and sat down in the living room. Regina busied herself with feeding Roland while they talked.

"Regina, is there anything I can help you with tomorrow? Preparing food, cleaning?" Kristin asked.

Regina gave Roland a bite of his dinner before responding, "I could absolutely use any help I can get. I've never really made thanksgiving food before, so maybe you more experienced people could help me out some." Regina chuckled.

"Of course dear. Although, I'm not sure if Robin told you, but he is an expert at making a good Thanksgiving Day turkey," Kristin commented.

"Oh really? I do believe he has failed to mention that," Regina said, playfully shooting a raised eyebrow at her fiancé.

"Well the occasion to mention it hasn't ever come up," Robin replied, trying to defend himself.

Regina, Kristin, and Andrew just laughed. "You know, and I do hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I find it interestingly strange how you three British people have more experience with Thanksgiving than I do, and I'm American."

"Well, we actually do celebrate Thanksgiving in England. Except to us it's commonly called the Harvest Festival. But the idea is generally the same," Andrew replied.

"However, I didn't live in England for very long, and my parents liked the idea of adapting to the American traditions when we moved here, so I'm more experienced in the American holidays than I am in the English holidays," Robin chimed in.

The four adults continued to discuss this for a while longer, but before long, Regina had to lay Roland down.

"I hate to puncture the party, but I need to lay Roland down, which probably means Robin and I should settle down in our room so we don't wake Roland up doing it later."

Kristin, Andrew and Robin stood up from the couches. Roland was passed around from his grandmother to his grandfather then his father, each giving him a kiss on the cheek. Eventually he was passed back to his mother and Regina headed to the master bedroom with Robin following close behind.

Robin had his hand on the small of her back as they walked into their room. Regina bent down and gently laid Roland down on his belly in the playpen. "Goodnight, my angel. I'll see you tomorrow." She kissed his head and added, "I'll love you forever. I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be." That was her favorite quote from the children's book she read to Roland almost every night.

Robin stood behind her as he gazed upon this beautiful sight before him. Every time he thought he couldn't love this woman more, she did something that proved him wrong. His love for her is unending. It stretches farther and farther with every word she says, action she does, and move she makes.

Regina backed away and let Robin say goodnight.

He leaned over the edge of the playpen and kissed his forehead. "Goodnight, my boy. Sleep tight." He kissed his head once again. "I know Momma just said this, but I find it ever so true for myself. I'll love you forever. I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be." He gently rubbed the child's head before turning around to face Regina.

She walked up to him, wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and kissed him, all without saying a word. Robin pulled back after a few glorious seconds of kissing.

"What was that about?" he asked lovingly, as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. She loved when he did that.

"I just- I really really love you," she answered sincerely.

Robin grinned at her comment. "And I really really love you too." He kissed her nose sweetly and she rested her forehead against his shoulder. "Why don't we go to bed? We could both use a good night's sleep before tomorrow."

Regina just hummed in response. Robin took that to mean she agreed. They walked together to their closets, each putting on their respective pajamas before heading to the bathroom to brush their teeth.

Once their teeth were brushed, and Regina washed her face, Robin grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers together, and walked her to her side of the bed. She sat down and then crawled under the covers. Robin did the same next. As soon as he laid down, Regina moved over so her back was against his chest. He wrapped an arm across her waist and kissed her shoulder. "Goodnight, my love."

"Goodnight, Robin," she replied tiredly.

Robin kissed her shoulder once again before adding, "I'll love you forever. I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my woman you'll be." He decided to continue their trend with this quote, but change it slightly.

Regina smiled and nuzzled herself into him some more. "I'll love you forever. I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my man you'll be."

Those are the last words to be spoken that night. They drifted off into a deep sleep, cuddled together as they were.


	25. Chapter 25

Thanksgiving flew by in a flash. Regina and Kristin spent the entire morning of Thanksgiving preparing the food while Robin and Andrew went golfing. Robin had insisted that he would stay home and help, but Regina wanted him to spend some quality time with his father. Regina may not have had parents in several years, but she knew what it was like to be separated from them. So she knew it was hard for Robin to be away from them for so many months out of the year, especially his father. A man needs his father. Or at least this man needs his father. And so Regina wanted to make sure he was able to enjoy the time he had with Andrew.

Kristin did all she could to help Regina learn more about the holiday and learn her own takes on certain recipes for the holiday. Regina was overwhelmed with gratitude for all her soon to be mother-in-law did for her. She had never felt so loved and respected by the mother of any of her past interests. Those mothers wanted nothing to do with her. So this was new for Regina. Something she never imagined having, but it made her feel at peace with where she was at in her life. Having a mother figure again had always been a dream for Regina, and now it was a reality.

When dinner time came, the family sat down around the table and enjoyed a full meal and just relished in the time they could spend together. Robin and Andrew making corny jokes; Kristin telling embarrassing stories of Robin when he was a young boy, and Regina snorting loudly in laughter. It was a comfortable setting for everyone there. The joy that radiated from them wasn't forced. It was pure happiness and enjoyment that the family felt on this Thanksgiving Day.

Before they knew it, the rest of November flew by and it was the day before the anticipated wedding. Roland was staying with Mary Margaret until the morning. Regina was spending the day with Belle and Kristin, while Robin, David and Andrew hung out. Bachelorette and Bachelor parties are the technical names, but Regina didn't prefer to call them that.

The girls had a spa day. Regina initially just wanted to stay home and paint her own nails to save money. But Belle convinced her otherwise.

"Regina, you deserve to be pampered today. And I've already budgeted this in my spending, so you can't say no." Belle commented.

Regina's eyes widened at Belle's thoughtfulness. "You really didn't have-"

"Yes I did Regina. You've done so much for everyone else during this wedding process. You are the bride. And that means you are the center of all of our attention." Belle said with a big smile.

Regina couldn't help the huge grin that appeared on her face. "Thank you," was all she could say.

The three girls got ready at the penthouse before leaving for the spa. Robin and Regina had agreed not to see each other the day before the wedding. So Robin was staying with David and Andrew at a nice hotel.

As the girls were being pampered at the spa, the men were spending the day at the golf course. Robin had found that golfing was a very chill and relaxing sport to play. Something he needed the day before his wedding. He was beginning to feel extremely nervous, and needed to just calm himself down and enjoy time with the guys.

At one point Andrew had left to use the restroom and it was just David and Robin. David walked up and nudged Robin playfully.

"You nervous man? For the wedding night?" David asked with a smirk.

Robin shook his head and laughed. "Wouldn't you like to know." He laughed again.

David chuckled as well but still insisted. "Come on, man. We are two grown men. Friends at that. What's wrong talking about this?" He asked.

"I just don't really know how I feel. Am I excited? Yes of course. Am I nervous? Hell yes. I've never done this before. I'm not scared and the nerves aren't because I feel like something's going to go wrong. It's just- I've waited for this moment for so long. And I just hope I'm worthy of Regina. Not just in the sexual sense. In every sense. I want to be the best man I can be for Regina." Robin opened up.

"And you are. Why do you think she agreed to marry you?" David asked.

Robin sighed. "Look, I know she loves me. I do. But that doesn't change the fact that marriage- it changes things."

David nodded. "Yes, it does. I won't deny that. But the changes it brings are for the better. Marriage grow you as a person. As a couple. It brings its challenges, of course, but those trials will make you stronger together. And the love you two share is unbreakable. I know it. I've seen it."

Robin smiled softly and nodded. "But I guess I can't deny the fact that not having ever slept with a woman before... It sparks much curiosity in my brain. I know how sex works. But I have yet to understand it. To experience it. It makes me feel insecure. Because she HAS experienced it. So I feel that tomorrow night when we are finally alone, it's going to be her leading the way and dominating, rather than the other way around. Which may not be bad necessarily, but you know me, David. I am manly man. I like to be the leader. Be the one in control in situations like that."

David carefully listened to Robin and did his best to encourage him. "Yes. It's undeniable that Regina is more experienced than you in this sense. But like you said, you know how it works. So just let your knowledge and your instincts guide you. Sex isn't really about having everything figured out before hand. She's going to have to learn you just as much as you have to learn her. That's the magic of the first night together. Exploring each other in various ways. It's intimate. Special. Don't let your mind wander to your insecurities. Live in the moment."

Before long, Andrew returned and the men went back to their game.

Regina, Belle and Kristin walked into the spa. Apparently Belle had already called ahead to make an appointment, so they were taken straight back to the pedicure chairs. Before sitting down the girls picked out the colors they wanted.

"What are you getting Kristin?" Regina asked.

"I think I'm going to get a nude color. My dress is a pale pink, so I think nude will look best." Kristin replied.

"That'll look lovely!" Belle commented.

"What about you Belle?" Kristin asked.

"I'm having a hard time deciding. My dress is a lavender purple. So do I find a color that matches that, or one that looks good with it?" she asked.

Regina thought for a second. "Well, I think it's kind of risky trying to find a nail polish that exactly matches the dress. So I'd find something that will go good with it. Maybe a grey or a silver. Or maybe even like a deep purple." Regina replied.

"You're probably right. I think I like the deep purple idea." Belle stated as she scanned the shelves of nail polish. "How about this one?" She held up the OPI jar of nail polish with a deep purple tint.

Regina took it from her to look at it closer. "I love the color! And not to mention the name." She laughed. "Vant To Bite My Neck." She added, still laughing.

"Why do they give nail polish such strange names?" Kristin questioned.

"Who knows." Both Belle and Regina replied and laughed.

Kristin and Belle noticed Regina didn't pick out a color, but instead walked over and just sat down in her pedicure chair.

"Aren't you going to pick out a color?" Belle asked.

"I'm getting French. It's elegant and soft. And plus, Robin loves when I get French," Regina grinned.

Once the women finished with their nails and the men finished their game of golf, they all went out for drinks. Well the men went one place and the women went somewhere else.

The women went to Regina's favorite place, Legends, which is also the place where Regina asked Belle to be in her wedding.

They arrived and were seated in a quiet corner of the busy bar, which Regina appreciated. Soon after they were seated, the waiter came up. A very good looking waiter.

"What can I get for you ladies?" he asked kindly.

Regina was busy looking at the menu, as was Kristin. But Belle's eyes were glued on the attractive man taking their orders. Regina's gaze lifted from her menu.

"I'll have a glass of-" she started to say but was then astonished by how intensely Belle was staring. "Sorry. I'll have a glass of your Roscato Rosso," she continued. "Kristin, do you know what you'd like?"

"I think I'll just take a dry Martini," Kristin requested.

"And what would you like, miss?" the waiter asked Belle. Belle was in such a trance that she didn't answer.

"Ahem," Regina cleared her throat to get her attention.

Belle's eyes blinked a few times. "Oh. Yeah I'll have a Tequila Sunrise."

The waiter's face was beat red but he kindly took the drink orders and went on his way.

"What was that all about?" Regina asked Belle.

"What was what about?" Belle asked back.

Regina laughed. "You stared at that waiter the whole time he was taking our order."

Belle smirked. "Well can you blame me? He's smokin' hot!" She said rather loudly.

Regina hushed her, and Kristin just sat there listening to the two converse. "I didn't take notice to that. I am getting married tomorrow and have no need to look at other men like that." Regina said proudly.

"Married or not, it's not wrong to appreciate the beauty of those around us." Belle smirked.

The waiter came back moments later with their drinks and Regina glared at Belle and Belle did her best not to stare at the man. After he walked away and the women sipped their drinks for a bit , Belle spoke up.

"Are you ready for tomorrow, Mrs Locksley?" Belle asked with a huge grin.

Regina reciprocated that grin but a thousand times over. "More than you can imagine," she said with tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"Oh. Don't cry. It's a happy occasion," Kristin chimed in.

Regina lifted her hand and rested it on Kristin's. "Your son. I tell you what... I've never met a man like him. A man that's so loving, gentle, compassionate, hard working, fatherly, forgiving, and any other possible positive trait. He's really perfect. And I have you, partially, to thank for that. You raised a wonderful man. The man of my dreams," she finished.

The women spent the rest of their evening sipping on their drinks slowly and conversing about various aspects related to the impending wedding.

The men were at Manhattan Proper, one of Robin's favorite sports bars. They sat at the bar and ordered their drinks from the bartender.

"I'll have a rum and coke," Andrew requested.

Robin took a while to decide, but eventually made up his mind. "I'll have an Irish Whiskey neat."

"And for you?" the bartender asked David.

"Uh, I guess I'll take a Bourbon neat," David ordered.

The men turned their bar stools and faced towards a screen where an old NFL football game was playing. New York Jets vs Dallas Cowboys.

After watching it for a few minutes with brief conversation about the game, talk finally switched to the following day's events.

"So Robin, I'm assuming you have your vows written?" Andrew asked.

Robin smiled nervously. "Yes. I do." He replied briefly. "I- do have a question though... Is it bad if I read my vows?" he asked both men.

"I wouldn't say it's wrong. Not at all. But I can promise you man, once you get up there, you'll know what to say. You may think right now that being up there will make you forget, but it's just the opposite. You'll be there, looking deep into her eyes, seconds away from being her husband." David said and laid his hand on Robin's shoulder. "Trust me, man. You'll know what to say."

Robin was encouraged by that but was still nervous. He wasn't typically this kind of guy. One who spent so much time worrying about something so positive. Or really worrying about anything at all. He's always been a rather tough guy. Events like death are excluded, because losing a loved one earns anyone the right to grieve or worry. But a wedding. It shouldn't be something to worry about, right?

The bartender handed the men their drinks and Robin quickly drank a good portion of his whiskey.

Andrew could see the worry and nervousness in Robin. "Son, I know you. You're trying to tell yourself to stop worrying, and to just be a man. But I'm telling you, worrying, and being nervous... Those are good things. Why? Because it shows that you care. You care about Regina. You care about your impending marriage. So be nervous. Worry a little. But don't deceive yourself to believe you're a horrible man for acting like this. I was nervous. More nervous than I'd ever been in my life. But when you see your bride walking down that aisle toward you, all nerves float away. Everything around you will be tuned out and your sole focus will be on her."

Robin smiled at the thought. "I don't know how I'm going to sleep tonight. I wish I could see her now."

"Well she was very clear that you cannot see her until she walks down the aisle. But I could arrange to drop something off at your penthouse for her. A letter or something," David commented.

And Robin most definitely took him up on that offer.

The men headed to the hotel suite and arrived around 10:30pm. Robin spent quite a while writing a letter to his bride. A letter that might be better said in person, but given the circumstances, will do for now. Until he can see his bride and turn those written sentiments into vocalizations.

Once he finished, he sealed the envelope and plucked a rose from the vase in the suite and passed them off to David.

The women didn't make it back to the penthouse until close to midnight. Their bar was further away from the penthouse than the men's bar was from the hotel. Belle slept in the living room and Kristin in the guest bedroom. Regina went to the kitchen to take some sleeping pills to aid her sleep before heading to her room. She walked in and headed straight to the closet, not even noticing the rose and envelope laying on her pillow.

She changed into a satin nightgown, then went to the sink to wash her face and brush her teeth. She stood in front of the mirror and couldn't help but smile when she lifted her hand to tuck her hair behind her ear and she saw her ring glistening in the reflection. She honestly never thought this day would come. The day where she'd be so madly in love with a man and his son, and being less than 12 hours away from getting married.

She finally told herself she needed to get in bed and try to get some sleep. She turned away from the mirror and walked towards her bed. That's when she saw it, and she knew just who it was from.

She put her hands over her mouth as tears flooded her eyes. She hadn't even read the letter yet and she was already sobbing. She sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up the rose. She brought it to her nose and sniffed it. A smile graced her face as she did so. Moments later she reached down and retrieved the letter. She broke the seal on the envelope and pulled out her fiancé's letter.

 _My Beloved Bride,_  
 _Can you believe it? We've finally made it to our wedding day. Well- 12 hours or so away from it._ _ **(Regina couldn't help but laugh a little at that)**_ _I spent the entire day thinking about you. Thinking about our wedding. Thinking how blessed I am to even think about those things. All my life I told myself school and being successful in the business were the most important aspects of my life. And as a result I rarely had time to think about relationships. Which also meant I never imagined being so in love with a woman and being engaged to that woman, and marrying her. But you changed all of that. And I know that can come across as a cliché. But I really do mean it. The very instant I saw you, something within me changed. And for a while I didn't know what it was that changed. But I finally realized. Before you came into my life, I had no hope. No hope for a meaningful future. Would I have continued to be successful and make money? Yes, but love would've been absent still. And that's a sad life. A life without love isn't a life worth living. So when I met you, I felt hopeful. How or why I felt this way so early on, I'm still unsure. Because honestly, I really didn't think a woman like you would go for a man like me. I still wonder how that was possible. But nonetheless I'm grateful. You, Regina, have made my life so full. Without you and Roland in my life, I wouldn't be whole. Every moment we spend away from each other causes a part of me to feel empty. That's why right now, I needed to write this letter. I knew I couldn't come see you, but I still wanted to speak with you somehow. And I wasn't sure how late you'd be up so I didn't want to risk calling. Anyways that's beside the point. The point is. I would not be who I am without you. Nothing in my life would make sense without you. In fact nothing in my life ever made sense before we found each other. Regina Marie_ _ **Locksley**_ _, I love you with all my heart and soul. Every ounce of my being is completely in love with you. You are the single most beautiful woman in this universe. Your hair, your eyes, your body. Oh god, your body. It's all perfect. And to know that I can finally express to you the love and adoration I feel for you in a way that's more than words can say, in less than 24 hours, god I've been imagining it for so many months now, and it's almost here. If ever you wondered how deep my love is for you, you'll surely know it on our wedding night. (Not intending to sound crude. Just excited and joyous)._ _ **(Once again Regina snorted, and also blushed this time. She couldn't deny she was just as excited for said event.)**_ _Anyways, I hope you have a peaceful night's sleep. I can't wait to see you tomorrow, my bride. Hint: if you can't find me, I'll be in a grey suit with a purple flower pinned to my chest, standing at the end of the aisle. ;)_

 _With all my love,_  
 _Your soon to be Husband_

Regina was crying and smiling the whole way through the letter with a few occasional laughs. This man never ceased to make her feel so loved and cherished. Part of her felt bad for not thinking to write something for him to read tonight. Which is when she thought to herself, 'it's not against the rules to call him, right? No. I'll call him.'

She smiled and picked up her cell phone and found his name in her contacts and pressed his number. She held t to her ear and smiled in anticipation of him answering. It only rang two times before he picked up.

"My beautiful bride," he said sweetly.

"Robin. You are the most amazing man this world has ever known," she said passionately.

"I take it you read my letter?"

"I did. And it was beautiful. Thank you my love." She was smiling so brightly and couldn't stop.

"I'm so glad you called. It's good to get to hear your voice before I try to get some sleep," Robin commented.

"I felt slightly guilty that I didn't write you a letter tonight so I thought calling you would make up for it."

"It more than makes up for it, babe. Hearing your voice is just what I needed," he replies truthfully.

"Robin, we are getting married tomorrow," Regina said in an astonished tone.

"Yes we are. I cannot wait for you to be my wife and for me to be your husband. It's a dream come true."

"I don't know how I'm going to manage waiting several hours before seeing you tomorrow. Maybe we can just..." She was about to suggest having breakfast together, but Robin interrupted her.

"As much as I miss you, something about being a part until the moment you walk down that aisle gives me chills and it excites me. I'll admit when you first mentioned the idea of not seeing each other I was against it, but the more I've thought about it, the more in love with it I become. So no. I won't let you change your mind on this one," he said honestly.

"Thank you."

"For what?" he asked.

"For being there to keep my head on straight. To not waver from both of our wishes just because I had a moment of weakness," she relied.

"I'm always here for you. And soon, I'll be vowing in front of our friends and family to love you and cherish you in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, for richer for poorer. And I'm going to mean every single word of my vows."

"If I was with you right now, I'd kiss you," Regina said brightly.

"Guess you're going to have to wait then, love." Robin smirked wildly though she couldn't see him.

"Well I guess I better get some sleep. I have a wedding to get to tomorrow," she played.

"Yes we wouldn't want the bride falling asleep. I'm sure her groom wouldn't enjoy that," he played back.

They shared a few moments of laughter before saying goodnight.

"Goodnight, Robin. I'll see you tomorrow at altar. Oh and by the way, I'll be the woman in the white wedding dress, in case you weren't sure."

"Oh that's good to know. Wouldn't want to confuse you with someone else," he chuckled. "Goodnight, Regina. I love you so much and I can't wait to marry you," he said seriously.

"I love you too. I'll see you tomorrow!"

The couple hung up their phones and laid down in their beds. Somehow they both managed to get some sleep that night. Maybe that phone call was just what they needed. Their last conversation as an engaged couple.


	26. Chapter 26

Today was the day. The day Robin Andrew Locksley and Regina Marie Mills would become one. Regina woke up very early that morning. She had fallen asleep easily after speaking to her fiancé, but sleep didn't last long before excitement and nervousness took over.

After waking up, she made herself a cup of coffee and sat in the living room reading the letter Robin had written her. She could not believe she had found this man; the man of her dreams. After Daniel, she was sure she'd end up alone. But Robin changed that. He changed her life in the best way possible. He showed her that she could in fact love again, and that she was deserving of it. And here she was, mere hours away from marrying this fantastic man.

Before long, Belle and Kristin woke up and greeted Regina in the living room.

"Good morning, bride! Today's the day!" Belle said cheerfully.

Regina looked up and put on a half-hearted smile, before lowering her face again.

"Oh honey, why the sad face? This is supposed to be a happy day," Kristin commented.

Then tears began flowing from Regina's eyes, confusing the other women in her midst. Kristin moved to sit beside her on the couch and began stroking her hair. "What is it, dear? You can tell me anything."

Regina lifted her eyes to look at her soon to be mother-in-law. "It hadn't really hit me until now that my parents won't be here to give me away."

The past few days getting ready had been so busy that her mind hadn't gone there.

Kristin and Belle looked at each other and frowned. Belle came to sit on the other side of her friend and co-worker. "Regina, I cannot imagine what this feels like. But I can tell you they are watching over you, and they are so proud of you and happy for the love you've acquired. They would want you to be filled with joy on this day," Belle encouraged.

Regina nodded, but still cried.

Kristin rubbed her back soothingly as she cried. "Regina, how would you like it if Andrew walked you down the aisle?" she asked.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly ask him to do that. It would be too hard on him with the loss of Marian… It would bring back memories and I don't want to cause that," Regina replied.

"He would be thrilled to do this for you. You are truly a daughter to him and I. It would truly be an honor for him," Kristin stated confidently.

Regina sniffled softly before responding. "Okay." She was truly touched by the love Robin's parents have shown her. It had been years since she ever had parents, or even parent-like figures in her life. This feeling was foreign to her. The feeling of having a family, and being loved by them. If she was honest with herself, it was a feeling that would take a while to get used to.

By this time it was roughly 9:30am. Regina had calmed down and shortly after began getting ready for her big day. She went to the bathroom to set out all her hair tools and the makeup she wanted to use. The hair and makeup team were supposed to arrive at 10am. She went to her closet to pull out her dress to lay it out on the bed. That's when she saw the small bag that had Robin's wedding gift in it. She quickly picked it up and rushed to Kristin.

"Kristin! Is there any way I can get you to meet up with Andrew and give him this? It's Robin's wedding gift from me, and I really want him to open it before he gets busy."

Kristin reached out and took the bag from Regina's shaky hands. "Of course, dear. I'll call him right now and have the gift delivered as soon as possible."

Regina sighed in relief knowing that her groom would finally receive the gift she has had for well over two months. She couldn't help but smile as she imagined Robin's reaction to it.

Kristin called Andrew and within ten minutes, she was headed to meet up with him.

The makeup team arrived promptly at 10am, which was extremely nice because Regina was beginning to get antsy and if they were to have arrived even one minute late, Regina would have freaked out. Moments after she sat down to begin getting her hair done, Kristin walked in. She was carrying a rectangular box wrapped in pure white wrapping paper with a silver bow. Regina saw her through the reflection of the mirror and smiled.

"What's this?" Regina asked with a huge grin. She knew exactly who it was from, but what the box contained was completely unknown to her.

"You're very excited groom also asked for a gift to be delivered. Although he warned his father to make sure you read the note and open the gift before any makeup is applied," Kristin replied with just as big of a grin. She placed the box in Regina's lap and kissed her temple. "You can chose when to open it, but from experience, I'd suggest heading your groom's advice on this." She patted Regina's shoulder before walking out of the room.

Regina looked down at the perfectly wrapped gift in her hand and could not control the smile on her face. She looked up into the mirror at her hair stylist, Rachel. "Would you mind if I opened this in private? I'll be quick so that you can get started on my hair… I just want to open this alone."

"Of course I don't mind. Take all the time you need. Just call for me when you're done," Rachel replied. She stepped out of the bathroom and went to wait in the living room with the other three women.

Regina gripped the ends of the box and stared at it for a moment. She slowly pulled the card out from underneath the bow and held it in one hand as she worked the seal with her other hand. She pulled the paper out and unfolded it to reveal a letter from her future husband. She closed her eyes and titled her head back as she took a deep breath, preparing herself for the emotions that were guaranteed to ensue. She opened her eyes back up ad began reading the letter.

'My beautiful Bride,

Happy wedding day, my love! Wow. Did I really just write that? It seems like just yesterday that you walked into my office. People always say "time flies when you're having fun," and I find that so true with us. The time I've spent with you has been the best time of my life, and I cannot wait to experience the rest of my life with you by my side.

You have never ceased to amaze me. The depth of your love and the strength you possess astound me. Life has thrown you curve ball after curve ball, but you hit them out of the ballpark every time. You don't let that sneaky little trial throw you off course. You don't let it knock you down. You stand firm and hold your ground and end up coming out of each trial stronger than you were before it. And when it's not your personal trial, but it's one of someone you love, you exert your strength for both yourself and that person. And I am a witness to that. When Marian died, you were my strength and my refuge. If you hadn't been there, I wouldn't have made it through. When I got Roland, I thought for sure you'd run for the hills. We hadn't been together that long, and logically we hadn't started talking about children or even marriage. I was scared to death when Marian asked me to take Roland. When I called you that night, I was afraid. But then you encouraged me. You didn't run. And since that day, you've been even more amazing. You've assumed the role as Roland's mother. That boy loves you so much, probably more than me :P. Knowing you'll legally be his mother soon brings me so much joy. I can't thank you enough for how amazing you've been to my son- OUR son.

Now this gift… There's much symbolism involved with it. First off, I want to confess that this perfect wrapping is not my doing. I had the kind laid at the store wrap it for me because I suck at wrapping :P. I chose this specific color for two reasons. One being that its traditionally the color all wedding gifts are wrapped in. The second I will explain momentarily. I will mention that I originally decided on a white ribbon, but then I remembered how much you like sparkly things, and figured this silver bow would be much more appealing.

Okay, now is the point where I want you to open the box. I know, I know. You haven't finished the letter yet… Open it anyways. I have things I'd like to say about the gift. ( **Regina pulled the wrapping paper apart neatly and opened the box to reveal a white lace lingerie dress.** ) Here's where the second reason for white will be explained. Shortly after we began seeing each other, I confessed to you that I was a virgin, and you admitted that you were not. And I got the sense that you were ashamed of that and slightly self-conscious about it; that you felt you were dirty and impure because of decisions you made in your past. I know you might believe that only virgins should wear white on their wedding night, because otherwise it would seem wrong. Regina Marie… I want you to know that you are NOT dirty or impure. And that's why I chose white. You are pure and you deserve to be treated as such on this special night. So I want you to wear this with pride and confidence tonight. Okay?:)

I love you Regina; with all my heart and soul. I am bursting with excitement at the thought that soon you will be walking towards be in your wedding gown and shortly thereafter, reciting your vows to me and I to you. I'll see you at the altar.

PS: I snuck in your undergarment drawer to obtain your bra size. Hope you don't mind :P

With all my love,

Your Groom'

From the first sentence of the letter, Regina sobbed. When she finished the letter, she held it against her chest as she cried tears of joy. She kept thinking to herself, 'Is this really my life? Is the man who wrote this letter really going to be my husband?' Everything seemed surreal to her. She took the white dress out of the box and admired it. She held it up against her body and imagined putting it on later tonight for her hubby. It gave her butterflies just thinking about it. She was extremely glad her and Robin decided not to sleep together until this night, because it made today and tonight all the more special.

About fifteen minutes later, Regina wiped her tears and called Rachel back into the room.

Around the same time she received her gift, Andrew gave Robin his gift. And he took got a warning. Regina gave specific instructions for Robin to be alone when he opened his gift. So Robin took his bag and walked into the bathroom and closed the door. He sat down on the edge of the Jacuzzi tub of his suite, and took the card out of the tall, shiny black bag.

'My Handsome Man,

Today is the day we've been waiting for. The day I've imagined my entire life is finally here. The only difference is, the happiness I imagined I'd feel is nothing compared to how I actually feel. And that's all because of you. You and Roland have made my life so much more worth living. You've given me something to live for; to look forward to day in and day out. Just the mention of your names puts a smile on my face.

Before I met you, my life was uneventful and sad. My life consisted of work, food, sleep, and did I mention work? I went to work and when I finished, I had nothing to come home to other than an empty apartment building. No family, no friends, nothing. An ordinary day at work turned stressful with the law suit being filed against me. I remember being so upset and when I called your firm, I was pissed that David wasn't available, and I very unhappily agreed to use you as my lawyer. But then I met you. And though I didn't admit it to myself or anyone for a while, I fell in love with you the instant I met you. Not only are you the absolute most attractive man in the history, present and future of attractive men, but you have the biggest heart. I've never felt so loved and protected in my life.

Being with you has changed me tremendously. You've shown me that hope is an important thing to have. You've taught me that it is possible to love again. For so many years I thought I was doomed to either be alone or only ever be in relationships that resulted in me being hurt physically and/or emotionally. Going into our relationship, I was so guarded, and I swore to myself I wouldn't let my walls come down so easily. But you made it happen. My walls started coming down in small pieces, but then you knocked the rest down in one swoop the minute you told me you loved me. I tried to build that wall right back up, which is why I didn't say those words back to you initially. But this wall was weak. This wall was made out of paper whereas my previous wall was made out of stone. So this wall didn't last. It wasn't meant to, because my heart no longer needed to be protected. You are now and will forever be the one who holds my heart. You, Roland, and any children we have in the future [because we WILL be having children together ;) ], you all have my heart, and I don't ever want you to let go of it.

I cannot wait to marry you, Robin Locksley. Look for me at the end of the aisle.

PS: Decided to give you a little foretaste of your near future with my wedding gift to you. Enjoy :)

Your Bride,

Regina Locksley'

Robin wondered what the gift was, but nothing could've prepared him for what he was about to open up. He took the sparkly tissue paper out of the bag and found what looked like a scrapbook. Except there was a picture on the front that was Regina with her veil and garter on, with her hair and makeup on, but nothing else. Now, the picture was done tastefully, so her parts were covered up, but obviously Robin was seeing more of her than he ever has. As he opened the book, his eyes met with more boudoir photos of his gorgeous bride. As he did, he was more than glad that she instructed him to be alone. These pictures were for his and her eyes only.

Once Robin finished looking though the book, he quickly put it back in the bag and went back out to the guys.

Regina finished getting ready around 12:00pm, the only thing she had left to do was put on her dress. Belle and Kristin assisted her into the gown and then put the veil in her hair. The wedding was to start at 1pm, so the limo arrived outside the building at 12:15pm, and Regina and the girls made their way down to the lobby. It was snowing outside, as they expected, so Belle and Kristin put on their coats and Kristin extended Regina's coat to her.

Regina shook her head.

"Regina, it's freezing out there, you should put this on," Kristin instructed.

Regina still shook her head. "I did not purchase this gorgeous wedding gown only to hide under some winter coat. I'll be fine."

"You can take it off when we arrive. Just wear it for now," Belle chimed in.

Regina stared at the women momentarily. Without saying anything, she took the coat and draped it over her shoulders. She opted out of slipping her arms through it, afraid that she'd somehow damage the intricate lace work on the sleeves. Once she put it on, they walked out of the building and the limo driver opened the door so they could get in.

Robin and the boys had finished getting ready around 11:45am. They were even closer to the wedding site than the women were, so they didn't need to leave until around 12:30pm. While they waited, they played some poker in their hotel suite.

Before long, both parties had arrived at the wedding site, Central Park. The place Robin had first told her he loved her, and weeks later where he proposed to her. What other place could they even consider getting married? The ground was covered in snow, and the trees had icicles that hung down from the branches. There were two sections of setting separated by a center aisle. The chairs were silver, and the aisle was covered with purple flower petals that had an ombré effect, going from dark at the top of the aisle, to white at the end. At the end of the aisle, there was a pergola with sheer white fabric draped on all four posts. Large bouquets of purple and white flowers were attached to the middle of each post to give it an even more elegant touch. Hanging from the center of the pergola was a crystal chandelier, and under that was a table covered in a silky purple tablecloth. On the table were 9 white candles. They chose 9 to represent the amount of months they've known each other. The wicks on the candles were lit, and the flames flickered with the soft wind.

The soft piano music began playing, and the pastor made his way down the aisle, followed by Robin. Robin was in a fitted grey suite with a white button up and white silk tie. A purple rose boutonniere was pinned to the lapel of his jacket to add color to his apparel.

He stood beside the pastor, in front of the small gather of friends and family, nervously, but excitedly waiting for his bride to make her way down that aisle. Nothing else was on his mind but that. His bride. Kristin walked down the aisle next, clothed in a lace purple dress suited perfect for the mother of the groom (and bride really). Once she made it to the middle of the aisle, Belle and David came to the aisle, but waited for Kristin to be seated before they began their walk down the flower covered aisle. David matched Robin in every aspect except his tie was a lavender purple, intended to match Belle's dress. Belle wore a floor length lavender chiffon dress. Her arms were bare, but she insisted that if Regina wasn't wearing a coat, she wouldn't either. Once they made it halfway down the aisle, little Roland was rolled down the aisle by Mary Nolan in a silver wagon. He was dressed in a little grey baby suit, and in his lap was a sign that read "Daddy, here comes Momma," something Regina had kept a secret from Robin. So as soon as Robin read that, he lost it.

The soft piano music came to a stop once Mary found her seat and held Roland in her lap. Robin rejoiced to himself that he and Regina chose to have a small bridal party, because waiting any longer just might have killed him.

After a few seconds of silence, the pianist began playing the infamous "Canon in D." As soon as the music began playing, the guests all stood from their seats and turned towards the end of the aisle where Regina was now standing with Andrew by her side. Robin's eyes drifted up from his hands the moment he heard the music playing. As his eyes moved upward, he finally saw the dress she'd kept secret from him all this time.

Regina was in trumpet style, ivory lace dress from the Mori Lee collection. The dress featured full-length illusion sleeves, a moderately deep neckline, and an illusion open back, edged with striking embroidered appliques. Delicate crystal beading and covered buttons accented the already beautiful back. It was perfectly fitted to her body, and showed off her features in a way Robin had never seen. A floor length, sheer tulle veil lined with intricate ivory lace hung down her back, and her a short piece of veil, matching in appearance, hung over her face. Everything about her appearance was perfect. She was simply breathtaking.

She held a large bouquet with a combination of light purple, dark purple, and white flowers, tied together with a thick ivory lace ribbon. Hidden under the intricate lace detail of her dress, Regina wore vintage lace peep toe heels. Her deep brown locks were curled elegantly, and parts were pulled back into a loose braid, pinned with a crystal hair clip. Dangling from her ears were teardrop diamond earrings, and around her neck was a pendant diamond necklace. Her makeup was light, but still very noticeable. Her eyes were painted with cream and brown eyeshadow, and line with black eyeliner. Her eyelashes were enhanced with deep black mascara, and her lips were a soft peach color.

As Robin's eyes trailed up his bride's body, he couldn't get over how stunning she was. When he finally reached her face, their eyes locked immediately. As Regina and Andrew began their walk down the aisle, Regina and Robin kept smiling at each other; each crying tears of joy. When the father and daughter (because that's truly what they were) reached the end of the aisle, Robin came and stood on the other side of his father as the pastor stood in front of the three.

"You may be seated," the pastor told the guests. "It brings me such great joy to gather here today, with all these friends and family to celebrate this joyous occasion; a day where two lives will become one," he began. He looked at the bride and groom and then at the father standing between the two. "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" he asked.

"Her mother and I," Andrew replied. Though that's not biologically right, it was emotionally right. They were her parents. Regina felt so loved and cared for by these two amazing people, and felt so honored that they'd stand her today, playing the role parents of the groom and bride. Andrew once again slipped her tiny hand out of his arm and held it in one of his hands, and then took Robin's hand in his other. He joined the two hands, and they immediately laced their fingers together. Robin gave a gentle but loving squeeze to his bride's hand as they smiled at each other.

The pastor started off giving a short summary of how these two met, throwing in comical comments every once in a while. Once he was done with that, it was time for the real part of the wedding ceremony to begin.

"Robin, do you take Regina Marie Mills to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?" the pastor asked Robin.

"I do," Robin said with a huge grin.

"Regina, do you take Robin Andrew Locksley to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

Regina smiled brightly at the man standing before her as she replied, "I do."

"Now, the bride and groom will exchange vows. If you two could join hands, and then Robin, you may go first," the pastor instructed. Regina passed her bouquet to Belle, and then the couple took each other's hands and held them sweetly, staring deep into each other's eyes.

Robin cleared his throat and flashed a bright smile to Regina. "My love. My bride. We're here. We finally made it to this day. 9 months ago, you walked into my office where I expected only to give you my time and thoughts, but it turns out I gave you my heart that day too. I fell in love with you the moment I met you. I adore every single thing about you; from your jaw dropping looks to your sassy attitude," he said with a smirk, causing both her and their guests to laugh. "We laugh, but I mean it. There is not one thing about you that I don't love. But there is one thing that I might just love the most… and that's the way you love and care for Roland. Coming into this relationship, Roland wasn't a part of my life in the way he is now. Once I found out I would become his father, I expected you to run for the hills. But you proved me wrong. You ran to my aid and to Roland's aid. You became his mother. And now, in front of our friends and family, you are going to become my wife, and I your husband. And I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life married to you," he finished.

Regina had to remove one of her hands from Robin's in order to wipe the tears from beneath her eyes.

"I'm wondering why we chose to have me go second," Regina chuckled, "because now I'm all emotional, and speaking may be a problem," she added. Robin rubbed his thumb on her hand lovingly to help calm her. "Okay, I can do this," she smiled. "Robin, you are the love of my life. And I say that with 1000% confidence. You have done something in my life that no other man has been able to do, and that's make me happy, truly happy. When we enter this relationship, I was broken. I was damaged and unsure that I could be fixed. My past is dark and unsettling, and I never thought I'd be able to escape that. I believed I was doomed to a miserable life. Though I have made a way for myself to become a successful doctor, my life wasn't pleasant. I didn't feel happy. Meeting you wasn't something I wanted to do initially. I was pissed that my usual lawyer wasn't available, but desperate times call for desperate measures, so I went to you. Walking into your office, I just wanted to get in and get out. I never imagined that the moment I came in there, I'd immediately begin falling for you. Over the months we've been together, so much has changed about me, and about our lives together. You somehow managed to break down the walls I had built up, and you ignited an imperishable flame of true joy in me. And just a few short months after we got together, a little surprise came into our lives; Roland. I never imagined being a mother, and when I found out you were getting Roland, I was scared. But there was no chance in hell I was leaving the one man who has made me feel the way I do with you. And when I met this precious boy, I was instantly flooded with emotion. He held onto my finger with his tiny hand, and that was the moment I knew I was his mother. Pushing biology aside, but still respecting his birth mother, I became Roland's Momma in that sweet moment. And we became a family emotionally. And now, today, we are here to make that official. And I am overjoyed to be here in this moment with my two loves," she came to a close and Robin lifted his finger to wipe the tears that had fallen from her eyes as she spoke, then wiped his own.

"And now for the exchanging of the rings," the pastor stated. Regina reached back and obtained Robin's wedding band from Belle, as Robin did the same with David, retrieving Regina's ring. "Robin, will you take the ring and place it on Regina's finger, and as you do, repeat after me," he instructed. "With this ring, I give you my heart, I promise from this day forward, you shall not walk alone, may my heart be your shelter, and my arms be your home." Robin did as he was instructed, placing the tiny ring of diamonds on Regina's thin ring finger, pushing it up against her sparkling engagement ring as he repeated the vow.

"Regina, will you take the ring and place it on Robin's finger, and as you do, repeat after me," the pastor said. He quoted the same vow, and Regina repeated it as she pushed the thick silver brushed, tungsten wedding band onto his finger.

"By the authority vested in me by the State of New York, I now pronounce you man and wife," he said and then paused. Robin looked at him with a questioning look, causing the pastor to chuckle. The pastor leaned forward towards Robin and said, "You may now kiss your bride."

Robin put one hand behind her neck and the other on her lower back as he swooped her down and kissed passionately. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, because they both agreed not to make the guests uncomfortable by kissing for a long time. When they stood back up straight they were smiling bigger than they ever had before, and Regina took her bouquet back from Belle.

"It is my great honor to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Robin Locksley!" The pastor shouted.

At the moment, the recessional music was cued, and the song "Happy" by Pharrell Williams began playing. The couple danced their way back down the aisle and ran off to their decorated car for their first get away before the reception. They wanted to spend time alone before they went to have pictures taken, and before the reception.

Robin opened the passenger door to their confetti and balloon filled car, and helped his new wife carefully get in the car with her dress. He rushed to the driver's side and hoped in. As soon as he did, he turned to Regina and smiled. "We're married!"


	27. Chapter 27

After sharing a passionate kiss in their cramped vehicle, Robin sped off to their penthouse, where they wanted to spend some time alone before heading back to the party.

Once they arrived, Robin helped his wife out of the car, and the two intertwined their fingers together as they ran to the elevator, giggling like teenagers. They stood there waiting for the elevator doors to open; their eyes glued on each other undisturbed by anything around them until they heard a 'ding' and the doors slid open. They walked in quickly, and calmly stood with their backs against the wall of the elevator until the doors shut once again. They were immediately all over each other. Robin's hands tangling in her hair as he crashed his lips on his bride's. Regina gripped the sides of his suit jacket as the kiss grew passionate. Robin turned to face his wife, pushing her more against the wall as they devoured each other's lips.

Suddenly, Regina realized what they were doing and where they were heading and she stopped; pulling her lips away from her husband's. Robin ignored that and tried to keep going, but she took his face in her hands stopping his movements.

"What's wrong? Are you alright?" Robin asked confused.

"I'm perfectly fine," she said reassuringly. "But I don't want our first time to be in an elevator," she smirked.

Robin lowered his hands to her hips and exhaled. "Yeah, guess you've got a point. Although I've heard elevator sex is quite a turn on to most people," he smirked back with a raised eyebrow.

"I never said it wasn't for me," she said teasingly, "but we can save that for another time." She placed a gentle kiss on his lips just before the elevator doors opened.

Robin took his wife's hand and they walked over to their private elevator that takes them to their penthouse. Within another minute or two they arrived in their home, and Robin had pulled Regina into their bedroom, careful not to make her trip over her dress, and smashed his lips on hers once more.

"Robin… wait…" she began saying between kisses, "no… hanky panky…" she instructed.

Robin moved his lips to her neck causing his bride's breath to hitch, and whispered, "And why not? You are my wife now… we're allowed to."

She bit her bottom lip at this new sensation of her lover's lips on her pulse point. "What happened to me wearing that dress you bought me?" she asked breathlessly. "Don't you want to wait for that?"

Robin pulled his lips away and looked her in the eyes, grunting in slight disappointment. "Smart-ass," he said playfully. "Can I at least resume my previous ministrations or is that restricted as well?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Please, go ahead," she said almost as a plea. "Just don't leave any marks just yet," she added with a wild smirk.

Robin gave her a look and then brought his lips back to her pulse point. His lips traveled up and down each side of her neck, crossing over her collar bone as he switched sides. Eventually his lips found their way back to Regina's.

Somewhere within the first 30 minutes of their time at home, Robin had seated himself on the edge of their bed, with Regina sitting on his lap. Regina's arms were wrapped around Robin's neck, and his around her abdomen. Regina leaned her head down, her hair falling forward and meeting with Robin's face, and she pressed her lips to his gently.

They were scheduled to start taking pictures at 3pm, and it was now 2:55. Neither Regina nor Robin were paying attention. To them, they were in their own world with their own time zone. It was just them alone together as husband and wife. Nothing and no one else were on their mind.

They continued to kiss until Robin's phone went off. Robin planned to ignore it, but Regina didn't. "Ro-bin," she said between kisses. "Get that." Robin reluctantly pulled away and reached in his pocket for his cell phone.

"Hello?" he said, trying to hide the breathless sound of his voice. Unfortunately (or not), he didn't hide it well enough, because the person on the other line definitely recognized.

"Robin, its Emily. You know you two were supposed to meet me in front of your building 15 minutes ago, right?" the wedding photographer questioned with a grin plastered on her face. She knew exactly what they had been up to, and found it slightly comical.

"Shit!" Robin replied as he helped Regina off his lap. "Sorry. Uh, we'll be right out." He hung up his phone and looked at his wife. The two busted out in laughter after a few short moments.

"Is today really happening?" Regina asked in awe.

"It seems so. Although it feels like a dream," he replied with a sweet, genuine smile. He pulled his wife close to him and pecked her lips one last time. "Now, Mrs. Locksley. Why don't we go take some pictures, eat, mingle, and do a little dancing so we can get out of here and on to our honeymoon?" Robin asked.

She grinned from ear to ear as she stared into her husband's piercing blue eyes. "I think that's a wonderful idea, Mr. Locksley."

They made sure they were straightened up before heading downstairs. They spent about another two hours taking pictures around the city. Some with their small bridal party and family, but most with just the two of them. Regina was slightly self-conscious throughout the session, but Robin sweetly reassured her of her beauty, which made her feel not just loved, but cherished. By half-way through the photoshoot, it was almost if they weren't being photographed. Emily didn't even need to pose them. All they had to do was act natural- meaning, act in love and happy- and that's what Emily photographed.

While they were busy being photographed, their guests traveled to the reception site. Robin and Regina had chosen Liberty Warehouse to be their reception venue. The room was spacious and had the charm to it that Regina was wanting. There were brick columns evenly spaced within the room that added to the character, as well as dark bamboo floors and cream colored walls. String lights lined the ceiling throughout the entire room. The room had four 12 foot long banquet tables and two round tables that seated 6 people each. One round table and two of the long tables were on the left side of the room, and the other tables were on the right side. The space in between the groups of tables was reserved for dancing. Regina and Robin had their own high top table that sat at the front of the room. All of the tables were covered with elegant grey tablecloths. Greenery was added along the length of the banquet tables with a tall vase of purple flowers as the centerpiece. The place settings included a silver plate, a set of fancy silverware, a wine glass, and a dark purple napkin.

The two hours came and went in a hurry. Before they knew it, Regina and Robin were headed off to their reception. They stood right outside the entrance to the room and waited to hear their DJ announce their arrival.

"I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Robin Locksley!" the DJ said excitedly. The whole room erupted into applause and cheers as the couple ran, hand-in-hand, into the room. They headed straight to the dance floor where they'd have their first dance as husband and wife.

They stood in the center of the dance floor. Robin's right hand rested on the small of Regina's back and his left hand intertwined with her right hand. Regina rested her left hand on her husband's shoulder as they smiled brightly, waiting for the music to begin. Moments later, the room was filled with the sounds of "On a Night Like This" by Dave Barnes.

The couple began swaying as they stared into each other's eyes lovingly. This moment was intimate. Though there were dozens of people surrounding them, with their eyes glued on them dancing, the couple was not aware of that for the time being. All of their attention was solely focused on each other. Robin began singing along with the music; only loud enough for his bride to hear. Regina then looped both arms around Robin's neck and leaned her forehead against his as they continued to sway.

They made sweet comments to one another as they danced. Most just reflecting on how they couldn't believe they were finally married. A few referring to their son, Roland, and commenting on how adorable he was in the wedding. Robin mentioned how much he loved the little sign Roland carried as he came down the aisle. The two were truly in love and it was so evident to all who watched them interact. The song came to an end, and the couple was slightly disappointed. They returned to their seats and then dinner was served.

The room roared with voices as everyone conversed at their respective tables during the meal. The Locksley's and their guests enjoyed a three course meal. A refreshing garden salad was served as the first course, followed by a spiced steak with shrimp, green beans and mashed potatoes. For dessert, Regina and Robin agreed upon raspberry cheesecake, a food preference they both learned months ago they had in common.

Just before dessert was served, Regina and Robin got up from their table and went to the cake table. The wedding cake was plain vanilla with cream cheese icing. The icing was delicately placed upon the two tiered cake in an elegant floral pattern. The couple held the knife together and sliced through their wedding cake, posing for a few pictures before feeding the cake to each other. Robin was nice when he fed her, making sure none of it got on her face or dress. Regina, however, made no such effort. She shoved the cake in his face and made sure to smear it all over his face.

"Oh it's on now!" Robin commented. He stuck his finger in the icing then smeared some on her nose, and of course Regina reciprocated the action. Then Robin leaned in and pressed his lips against his bride's. The sweet taste of cream cheese icing evading their taste buds as they kissed. They pulled away and Robin lifted his hand up and wiped the corner of her lip with his thumb.

After wiping off the rest of their faces, the two went back to their table and began eating their delicious cheesecake. Mary came up to them moments later with Roland.

"I know you had originally thought it best to keep him away for the night so he would get used to you two being gone for the honeymoon, but he insisted on seeing his Mommy and Daddy," Mary explained.

Robin stood up and smiled, reaching his hands out to his son. "Come here pal." Roland happily squirmed in Mary's arms and smiled as his father retrieved him.

Regina stood up behind Robin and looked over his shoulder at her beautiful baby boy. Roland smiled even more as he caught sight of his Momma. "Ma-mmmma," Roland mumbled. Both Regina and Robin's eyes widened.

"That's his first word! His first word!" Regina said in shock. "Oh Roland! You're so smart!" Robin stretched his arms up, lifting Roland in the air.

Regina ran over and got Andrew and Kristin. "He said his first word! He said Momma!" she told them.

Kristin came closer and took her grandson's little hand in hers and kissed it repeatedly. "Oh how wonderful!"

The little family stood there together taking turns holding the young boy and expressing how proud they are of him.

"Alright everyone, let's please give a hand for the bride and her father in law as they make their way onto the dance floor," the DJ announced. Andrew had asked Regina if she'd let him dance with her for what would typically be the father-daughter dance. Regina had initially told him that she wanted to think about it, which also meant she wanted to talk to Robin about it.

 _{Flashback}_

 _Robin came home just thirty minutes after Regina got off the phone with Andrew. He set his briefcase down at the door and walked in to greet his fiancé. Regina was on the couch with the phone still clutched tight in her hand as she stared into the ground, completely unaware of Robin's arrival. Visibly, she was blank. No facial expression that Robin could read and understand. Inwardly, she was shattered. A wedding is supposed to be a joyous time; a time where the only feeling the couple feels is excitement, but this wasn't at all the case for Regina. Yes there was excitement and joy in the mix, but also a sense of sorrow. When I bride thinks of her wedding, often they imagine being walked down the aisle by her father, and sharing that sweet dance with him. She imagines her father tearing up as they dance, whispering to her about how grown his little girl is and how he can't believe she's married. That's exactly what Regina imagined up until the moment she found out about her parents' death. After that, she couldn't really picture a wedding at all; because what's a wedding without the parents?_

" _Regina?" Robin asked softly, hoping not to startle her. He sat down on the couch about a foot away from her and looked at her worriedly. She didn't respond at all, so he called to her again, "My love, are you alright?" Still no reply. He gently placed his large, calloused hand on the top of her thigh, "Regina please speak to me…" he pleaded sweetly._

" _Hmm?" She hummed confused as her gaze slowly lifted to meet her fiancé's._

 _Robin sighed in relief. "Are you alright?" he questioned._

 _She cleared her throat and blinked her eyes a few times to moisten them again after a long time of staring. "I-I'm…" she began. She was going to just tell him she was fine and that nothing was wrong, but he's proven to her before that he knows her, which means he knows when she's lying. So she reverted to telling the truth. "You're father called," she said simply._

 _Robin didn't quite get why a call from her father would have her acting like this. "And what did you two talk about?" Regina stared down at her hands and began playing with her fingers. Robin reached removed his hand from her thigh and placed in on her jittery hands. "Hey, you know you can talk to be about anything. Whatever's got you upset, I'm here to help you," he said encouragingly._

" _He asked if I'd want him to dance with me during the reception for the father-daughter dance," she finally let out._

 _Robin knew immediately what was making her so upset, but he didn't want to jump straight to that, he wanted her to talk her feelings through with him. "And what did you say?"_

" _I told him I'd think about it." She fidgeted with Robin's hand, but Robin let her. "I love your father so much and I appreciate very much that he thought to ask me. But at the same time… this is a father-daughter dance. My father isn't here, and part of me feelings like it would be doing him a disservice to dance with another man in his place. I don't want it to be like I'm replacing him, because no-" She got so choked up that it stopped her from speaking. "No man could EVER replace him."_

 _Robin scooted closer and pulled his fiancé into an embrace and gently rubbed her back for a few minutes before pulling away. "I agree. No man could replace your father, and no man will, not even my father. But I can't help but think that your father would be thankful that you have my father to be there for you in ways I cannot. I believe your father would be comforted to know that you're looked out for and protected, don't you?" Robin lifted his hand and wiped the tears off her cheek with his thumb. "My father, in no way, wants to replace your father. He just wants to be there for you."_

 _Regina's eyes were still filled with tears as she heard Robin speak to her. She knew he was right, and she had slowly come to the conclusion that she did want Andrew to dance with her, but it still hurt to think her own father wouldn't be there. Regina laid her head on Robin's shoulder and squeezed his hand tight. "Thank you," she whispered._

" _Anything for you, my love," he replied. After few minutes of silence, Robin spoke up again. "Is there a song you would like to dance to?" he asked sweetly._

 _She sniffled softly as she thought. "My father used to always sing 'Butterfly Kisses' by Bob Carlisle. I always imagined dancing to that."_

" _That's a lovely song," he replied sweetly and placed a soft kiss on her forehead._

 _{End of flashback}_

To Regina's surprise, Robin stood up from their table and came over to the DJ table and grabbed the microphone. Her and Andrew stood in the middle of the dance floor hand in hand. Regina expected the track to begin playing, but Andrew knew exactly what was happening.

"I wanted to introduce our bride and father dance. As you all may or may not know, and or have noticed this evening, we're missing some pretty important people this evening, one of which would be here in this moment for this dance with his little girl," Robin began. He started to get emotional, but knew he needed to stay strong and continue, so he inhaled deeply before going on, "So I decided I wanted to do something special for my bride, Regina, and not only for Regina, but for her father. He would be elated to be here with us today," as he said that, the guests all began clapping softly. "The song 'Butterfly Kisses' that Regina had told me was her and her father's song… I had the idea that I would sing it for her tonight."

Regina leaned forward with her mouth gaped open in shock. She straightened back up and brought her hands to cover her mouth as she began sobbing softly.

"So I just wanted to introduce that before my father, Regina's now father-in-law, dances with her, not in place of her father, but in honor of him." Robin smiled and cleared his throat as he prepared to sing for his wife.

Regina couldn't believe it. She stood there in the middle of the dance floor with watery eyes and trembling hands. Andrew placed his hands on the small of her back and she wrapped her arms around his neck loosely.

The piano began playing softly as the pair on the dance floor began swaying.

" _There's two things I know for sure…"_ Robin began singing. Just those words alone had Regina convulsing, with one hand over her mouth as she rested her chin on Andrew's shoulder. " _She was sent here from heaven, and she's daddy's little girl_." Andrew gently rubbed and patted her back as they swayed slowly. His suit jacket being stained with tears, but he didn't mind one bit.

" _As I drop to my knees by her bed at night, she talks to Jesus and I close my eyes, and I thank God for all of the joy in my life, oh, but most of all… For butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer; sticking little white flowers all up in her hair. 'Walk beside the pony, Daddy, it's my first ride.' 'I know the cake looks funny, Daddy, but I sure tried.' Oh, with all that I've done wrong, I must have done something right to deserve a hug every morning and butterfly kisses at night."_

At this point, both Regina and Andrew were crying. Not only was Andrew brokenhearted for his daughter-in-law, he couldn't help but think of his own daughter, Marian. This was a moment he'd never get with her, but he was grateful he and Regina could both share this moment together.

" _Sweet 16 today- She's looking like her mama a little more everyday. One part woman, the other part girl. To perfume and make-up from ribbons and curls. Trying her wings out in a great big world. But I remember... Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer; sticking little white flowers all up in her hair. 'You know how much I love you, Daddy, but if you don't mind I'm only gonna kiss you on the cheek this time.' Oh with all that I've done wrong I must have done something right to deserve her love every morning and butterfly kisses at night. All the precious time like the wind, the years go by. Precious butterfly. Spread your wings and fly."_

Regina looked over Andrew shoulders and saw her mother-in-law sitting with Roland in her lap. Through her own tears, she could tell Kristin was crying too. She flashed Kristin a soft smile and mouthed "I love you."

 _She'll change her name today. She'll make a promise and I'll give her away. Standing in the bride-room just staring at her. She asked me what I'm thinking and I said, 'I'm not sure-I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl.' She leaned over… Gave me butterfly kisses with her mama there, sticking little white flowers all up in her hair. 'Walk me down the aisle, Daddy-it's just about time.' 'Does my wedding gown look pretty, Daddy? Daddy, don't cry' Oh, with all that I've done wrong I must have done something right, to deserve her love every morning and butterfly kisses…I couldn't ask God for more, man this is what love is. I know I gotta let her go, but I'll always remember every hug in the morning and butterfly kisses."_

Regina inhaled and exhaled slowly as she and Andrew's dance slowly came to an end. When Robin finished singing, Andrew pulled away and reached in his coat pocket and handed Regina a tissue. Robin walked over towards his bride, and all Regina could do was wrap her tiny arms around his neck and kiss him sweetly. "I love you so much," she whispered.

"And I love you," he replied.

Andrew kissed Regina's cheek and hugged his son before retreating to his seat.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, the dancing isn't over. Next up, we have the mother-son dance. The groom chose to dance to 'A Song for Mama' by Boys II Men. So without further ado…" Robin walked to his mother and took her hand. She passed Roland over to Andrew before standing up and heading to the dance floor with her son. Robin held one of her hands in his and placed the other on the small of her back. Her other hand rested on his shoulder as they waltzed their way around the dance floor slowly.

Regina too walked over to her in-law's table and picked up her son from Andrew. "If you don't mind… I do believe it's time for this little guy to dance with his Momma." She smiled as she spoke, but her smile grew when Roland practically launched himself into her arms. She carried him to the dance floor and Robin smiled softly at her as he danced with his own mother.

Regina leaned Roland's head against her shoulder and rubbed his back as she just swayed and danced in a small circle. "I love you, my precious baby boy," she whispered. He lifted his head up.

"Ma-mmma?" he asked cutely.

"That's right. I'm your Momma." She pressed multiple kisses on his cheek throughout the entire dance.

Soon the dance ended and it was time for the real party to begin. Robin went to his wife and son and dragged them closer to the center of the dance floor as the DJ invited all the other guests to join in as the upbeat music began playing.

The couple and their guests danced to a mix of line dances, hip hop songs, country songs, and jazz music. Andrew and Kristin showed off their swing dance moves as the jazz music played, and Robin did his best to teach Regina how to do it as well. It was mostly a failure, because Regina was slightly embarrassed by her inability to remember the steps, but it was adorable nonetheless.

Before they knew it, the party was over. The guests made their way out to the parking lot and made two lines on either side of the door so Regina and Robin could run through them. They all worked on lighting their sparklers as Robin and Regina said goodbye to their family.

The hardest goodbye was to Roland. They really wished they didn't have to leave him, but Kristin and Andrew insisted that he'd be fine and that they needed to enjoy their honeymoon. Regina hugged and kissed her son over and over again until Robin took him away and did the same. As soon as Kristin took him back, Roland began whimpering. It broke Regina's heart, but she knew he'd be okay.

Her and Robin intertwined their hands and looked at each other and smiled. "Here we go." The doors swung open and the couple ran out the doors, running past all over their friends and family members who cheered them on. When they approached the car, they noticed all the righting and décor on it. Apparently Belle, Mary and David had decorated it during the reception. The back window said, 'Just Married,' the passenger side window said 'Bride,' and the driver's side said, 'Groom.' Silver cans were attached by string to the back of the car and confetti and balloons filled the inside of the car. Robin opened the door for his wife, and he helped her sit down and stuff the bottom of her dress securely in the car before closing the door. He waved to the guests one last time before getting in his seat. The couple shared a passionate kiss before buckling up and driving off.

They ended up staying at the penthouse that night, for their plane didn't leave until 11am the next morning. So Robin drove as fast as he could back to their place.

Once again, they found themselves standing by the elevator. This time they didn't hide their affection, and kissed passionately as they waited for the elevator to arrive. They got inside once the doors open, and went right back to kissing. Regina pressed up against the rail inside the elevator, and Robin's hands on either side of her face. Tongues battled for dominance, and lips moving in synch as they kissed aggressively all the way up to the top of the building.

The doors slid open and they darted out and went to the second, smaller elevator. They continued to kiss during that short ride to their penthouse, but the moment they arrived, Robin pulled away. He scooped Regina up into his arms, carrying her bridal style, and Regina giggled. "I do believe it is appropriate for the man to carry his bride over the threshold." Regina smiled so brightly and kissed him once again. She still couldn't believe this was her life; that this man was her husband.

Robin practically ran to the bedroom, causing Regina to laugh even harder. He threw her on the bed, and very quickly tried to climb on the bed and straddle her, but Regina pushed him off. "Nope, not yet," she said teasingly. She slid off the bed and walked to the bathroom. She stopped in the doorway and looked over her shoulder with her bottom lip between her teeth. She looked at her husband, who was now on his knees on the bed looking like a sad puppy.

"Oh come on!" he groaned.

Regina just chuckled and strutted into the bathroom and closed the door. She looked in the mirror for a moment and smiled at herself. This was really happening. The man she's waited for all these years is here, married to her, and waiting on their bed to consummate their marriage- or really consummate their relationship all together.

She carefully undid each of the elegant buttons that lines the back of her dress. It took a while for it was an awkward angle for her, but eventually she got them all unbuttoned. She slid her arms out of the elegant lace sleeves and then shimmied her way out of the skirt of the dress. Once she was out, she walked to her closet and pulled out the gift Robin had given her earlier that day. She smirked as she retrieved the white baby doll dress out and held it up against her body. She laid it on the counter in her bathroom as she slid out of the underwear she had on for the wedding, and unhooked her bra. She slid on the thong that came with the outfit, and lifted the dress above her head and slipped it on her body. It fit her perfectly.

She looked in the mirror and smiled. 'Robin did a great job picking this out,' she thought. She reached in her makeup drawer and got out some supplies to freshen up her makeup.

Meanwhile, Robin was waiting in agony for his wife to exit the bathroom. He had a pretty good idea of what she was doing in there, but that didn't take away the fact that waiting was driving him crazy.

Fifteen minutes after going into the bathroom, she finally finished. She walked to the door and slowly opened it. Robin's eyes stared at his gorgeous, sexy wife as she walked towards him. "God," he said breathlessly. His breath was literally taken away from him as he saw his wife life this for the first time.

Regina couldn't help but blush at his reaction to seeing her. She walked closer to him as he sat on the edge of their bed. She stood between his legs and wrapped her arms around his neck and stared into his eyes. "Make love to me," she said seriously.

And that was all it took for Robin to lifted her up and lay her down gently on the bed and do exactly what his wife asked of him. The two became one in more ways than one today. They expressed their love for one another, physically for the first time. Robin treating her with gentleness and care as he worshiped his love, his bride, his queen.


	28. First Night as Mr and Mrs

**A/N: So I know it has been quite a while since I updated my story, and I apologize for that. My life has been... hectic to say the least. Some good things have happened, some bad things, some just stressful things. The bottom line is I've been so time consumed with college work and life that my story has had to be pushed aside. And unfortunately, I do not believe I will be finishing it, at least indefinitely. I believe my story ended in an okay place to not feel the need to add more, but I also realize it could've ended better. Trust me, I had so many plans for how this story would end and I wish I could've achieved that. With that said, I had begun writing the next chapter, and I feel like I should publish it. For this chapter, I started it out by going back and giving more detail about Robin and Regina's first night together as husband and wife. I still ended it before the actual action of consumating the marriage happens, but I wanted my readers to understand the emotions that went through them as they began their time together that night; especially Robin's emotions. So anyways... I'll stop ranting. Here is a little one-shot, I guess you could call it.**

As Regina was in the bathroom preparing for their night together, Robin was sitting on the bed anxiously and nervously waiting. He had never thought he'd be this nervous about his first time. He thought he'd know exactly what to do and how to do it and that there was no reason to be nervous. Now, as he awaits the moment he and his wife will consummate their marriage, he realizes the nerves aren't entirely because of not knowing how sex works. It's him not knowing how to please Regina. His inexperience gives him no insight on what things Regina might like during intercourse. He believes she deserves the absolute best and in this moment he feels inadequate to give that to her. His knees are shaking, his body sweating as he trains his eyes on the bathroom door.

"Make love to me." She said the moment she walked out.

The level of nerves he felt skyrocketed. Here she was, standing before him asking him to take her. To make her his own. And here he was, completely unsure of his ability to do so.

She strutted toward him and he sat still. Well, as still as he could despite his nervous leg shaking. As she approached him, she could see the uncertainty in his eyes and body language. She put her hands on either side of his face and smiled. "I love you." She said softly. "Don't worry my love." She was careful in how she spoke to him. Specifically avoiding phrases and words that might make him feel degraded.

She brushed her lips against his and let out a satisfied sigh. Her lips curled into a smile as she pressed her plump lips against his slightly chapped ones.

Robin shakily lifted his hands from his lap and placed them on her hips. He felt stupid for being nervous in this moment because he and Regina had shared many kisses similar to this one. It was the knowledge of where this particular kiss would lead that made him nervous.

When Regina felt his hands grip her hips she took that as a sign to further her actions. She grazed the tip of her tongue along Robin's lower lip. It took longer for Robin to open up to her this time. Something within him kept him from fully allowing himself to move forward, which Robin hated. He hated himself for this. He was excited and highly turned on, but felt ashamed in a sense that he couldn't be the one to lead this moment. But despite all of that, he let her tongue invade his mouth. Their tongues glided back and forth over each other's. Robin's grip on her hips tightened as the kiss grew more passionate. He could hear soft moans coming from his bride as they kissed which made his pants feel a little tighter than they had before. Regina slowly pulled her hands down from his face and slipped them under the collar of his shirt so her hands covered his chest through his undershirt. The experienced woman in her cursed the fact that he had on so many layers. She took a moment to rub his shoulders before bringing her fingers to the first button of his collared shirt. One by one, the buttons were unfastened. She continued kissing her husband for the first few buttons but then pulled away from him and stared into his eyes as the last few came undone. She noticed the look she had seen in his eyes minutes ago was fading from nervousness to passion. She still felt the uncertainty in his body language, but knew that would change with time.

She slid the white shirt off his shoulders and tossed it onto the floor. Her eyes flickered back and forth between her lover's as she searched for approval to continue. Robin gave her an encouraging smile and nod. His palms were sweaty so he took them off her hips and wiped them on her jeans. His eyes leaving hers to look down as he did so. She brought a finger to his chin and lifted it up before she brought her hands down to his waist and hooked her fingers at the hem of his white undershirt. She inched it up his torso and let her fingertips graze his skin as she went up. His eyes followed her movements for a moment but then he looked right back to her eyes. The beautiful brown eyes he finds comfort in each time he looks into them. Within seconds his shirt is off and piled on the ground with his dress shirt. Regina moved from between his legs and crawled onto the bed, wanting Robin to join her. He turned around from his sitting position on the edge of the bed and saw her laying on her side with her head propped up by her hand. He smirked at her before turning around completely and crawling up the bed to meet her. As soon as he laid down, she rolled over to press their chests together for a moment before raising her body up to sit on her knees. She leaned down and kissed his lips, trailing them down slowly- crossing his abdomen and stopping just above his pant line. She tucked her fingers under the edge of his pants and unbuckled his belt before unbuttoning his pants. Once they were off, she stopped the removal of clothes and laid back down beside him. She rolled on top of him so her legs straddled his waist. He nervously gripped her hips and she could feel the sweat accumulating on his palms against her bare skin.

"Do you love me, Robin?" She asked him.

He sighed softly and smiled up at her. "Of course I do. More than anything." Robin answered genuinely.

Regina grinned at his response and kissed his lips. "Then I want you to show me." She whispered sweetly.

Robin became the most nervous he had been the whole night. The moment he's been waiting for all his life was minutes, maybe seconds, away from happening. "What if I hurt you, Regina? What if I mess this up?" He asked nervously.

She brought a hand to cup his cheek and she rubbed her thumb gently against it. "Do you love me?" She asked again.

He nodded. "Yes." He replied softly.

"Then trust me." She said encouragingly. His words calmed him down and he pulled her face closer to his and kissed her lips. She pulled away moments later. "Undress me." She instructed him.

The both swiftly sat up together and Robin took the soft white fabric of her lingerie between his fingers and lifted it over her head. The outfit was simply a babydoll dress and a matching G-string, so it was easy to take off. Robin's eyes grew big and his boxers grew tighter at the sight of the goddess before him. It made him even more eager to take off that last item of clothing so he could take in her entire body. He quickly laid her back down on the bed before hooping his fingers under the string of the undergarment and slid it down her legs, all the while staring into her eyes. Seeing her body on full display before him gave him a sense of confidence, and yet also gave him some reason to be nervous still.

Regina sat back up once again and worked at his boxers to free him of the growing tightness he was experiencing, and to put him on full display to herself.

They were finally completely exposed to one another for the first time. Nothing about them disappointing the other, but rather exceeding any expectations they might have had.

"You're breathtaking." Robin whispered in her ear as he pulled her back to lay down beside him. His hands shaking as he did so, causing Regina to notice.

She pressed her lips to his as she rolled over and straddle him once more. "Let me guide you." She commented. He gave her a reassuring nod in response. "Are you ready?" She asked.

"More than you know." He replied with his eyes shutting and his head leaning back, awaiting whatever sensation he would soon feel.

 **A/N: I want to thank each and every one of my readers over this past year. I started this story on April 5, 2015 and honestly had no clue what I was doing. I never expected myself to write as much as I did and I truly didn't expect so many people to read it and fall in love with it. This story is very near and dear to my heart not only because its OUAT related, but because it proved to me that i can write well and I can format a story and write it in a way that people enjoy. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your support and your sweet comments! I love y'all! And who knows, I might have some free time one day in the future and decide to add to the story or write something new. :)**


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